Local schools find value in pennies
By JORDAN DOUGLASS
The Fulton Sun
Posted: Friday, Oct 17, 2008 - 09:38:32 am CDT

 
From left, sixth grader Ryan Maclachlan is donating his coins into Mr. Noel's Penny Wars jar as Keandria Austin, Da'ajahne Mitchell, and Dakota Teel count the remaining pennies. (Contributed photo)
Take one, leave one. A notice referring to pennies we all have seen on convenience store countertops. Their value deemed so low as to be free to anyone who needs one.

During the recent Penny Drive for the United Way Kick-Off, the pennies collected from Callaway County schools - more than $7,800 - revealed that pennies can be quite valuable. The South Callaway School District alone raised $2,100.

Not to be out done, Fulton Middle and St. Peter Catholic schools - who both extended their penny drives due to scheduling conflicts - are still counting.

At St. Peter, a competition between the kindergarten through fifth grade classes ended with the second grade class the reigning champion, winning the penny count for the past two years.

“Our entire school has become focused on trying to beat them,” said Cindy Loftus, principal at St. Peter. “It's kind of like a mini-rivalry.”

At FMS, their second annual Penny Wars were in full swing as the first hour classes throughout the school were raising funds in order to win the competition.

“The competition is fierce,” Lucy Shrout, StuCo teacher representative at FMS, said. “They're having a lot of fun with it.”
 

The winners of the respective drives receive a pizza party for their efforts, but the students know the importance of the drive and were committed to raising as much money as possible.

“The money is going to the United Way,” said Keandria Austin, an FMS sixth grader. “This is good because it's a way for (the students) to give back and have fun.”

This was the sixth year of the annual penny drive at the schools. According to United Way Executive Director Kathy Richie Liddle, the main reason why the drive was started was for the young students to learn how to give back.

After six years of reaching goals, Liddle said she is proud of the students for stepping up to the challenge in dramatic fashion.

“I believe that the children in our community look forward to this,” Liddle stated through email. “They are learning, at a very young age, the importance of philanthropy and helping others in need.”