Cal Area students raise thousands in spare change for cancer research

Submitted Standing, from left, is Abby Salzman, Brenda Bidwell Leukemia and Lymphoma Society campaign manager, Rhyan Smith, Azzy Colditz, Ana Georgagis, Principal Raymond Huffman, Harley Harkins, Sam Smichnick, Grace Vash, Kira Singleton, Nasira Williamson, Jolie Pletcher, Jamey Wolfe, learning support teacher and sponsor and Joshua Pollock, math teacher and sponsor. Kneeling, from left, is Tylie Perok, Jake Layhue, Spencer Petrucci, Nick Rollins and Michael Rollins.

By TAYLOR BROWN
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Middle school students in the California Area School District are dedicated to making a difference.
A group of seventh- and eighth-grade students recently presented a check for $10,546 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
For three weeks, the students collected “spare change” to raise money for life-saving cancer research.
Homerooms in the middle school had a friendly competition to see who could raise the most money and upper grade levels, five through eight, upped the stakes with a fun twist. In addition to coins, older students were able to “sabotage” other homerooms by depositing bills into rival collection jars that counted toward the fundraiser – but against their homerooms total for competition purposes.
Particularly for Josh Pollock’s seventh-grade classroom and Mauree Krofina’s eighth-grade class, the rivalry was particularly heated.
“Her students were my students last year when we won first place,” Pollock said. “So we had a pretty good rivalry going on.”

 

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