Wanda Doughty, student council leader and fundraising coordinator at Riverside Middle School in Watertown, WI, along with the student council, decided to take on the "Pennies for Patients" program. "Pennies for Patients" is part of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Student Series program for elementary and middle school students. We asked Ms. Doughty about Riverside's program and this is what she said.
Why did you choose the Pennies for Patients program?
Every year student council students pick the program and the students had heard about LLS Student Series - Pennies for Patients from other councils. They liked what they hears so they decided to try it!
Your school did a remarkable job, bringing in $4,169.51. What did you do to achieve that?
We organized our event as our yearly community service project. We ran two hat days in which students and staff could donate $1.00 and then were allowed to wear a hat all day. We also ran a competition by homerooms with the collection boxes provided by LLS and used tally charts (above) as a motivator. Each day we updated the posters so that the students could see who was in the lead.
What does your student population look like?
We have 830 students and 80 staff members at Riverside Middle School. We ran our program with 32 homerooms. We have around 50% on free or reduced lunch. It is amazing to see our students give so much to those in need.
What was the best part of the program?
All of the materials that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society provides makes the program super simple to run.
What was the most successful aspect of your program?
The little collection boxes were a huge hit and really do encourage students to turn in more money.
Any advice for others?
Do this program because it is for such a good cause and use the materials that LLS provides. They are very helpful.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Student Series is a service learning, character education and philanthropy program that gives students a unique experience to make a difference through teamwork and aid thousands of children and adults in the fight against blood cancers like leukemia. As children move through their years at school, they can grow with the Student Series and have an even greater impact on the lives of blood cancer patients. The Series is designed specifically for each age group of students from pre-kindergarten through high school.
We are currently signing up schools for the 2015-2016 school year. Your school can participate anytime during the year, for any length of time that works for you. Our Student Series staff are here to support you every step of the way and will provide planning sessions and materials for your program.
How can you help? We are always looking for coordinators to run the program at their school; we are looking for volunteers to meet with school coordinators and for survivors to share their story. If you would like to sign up your school, volunteer or simply request more information, please visit our website or email the Student Series team.
Why did you choose the Pennies for Patients program?
Every year student council students pick the program and the students had heard about LLS Student Series - Pennies for Patients from other councils. They liked what they hears so they decided to try it!
Your school did a remarkable job, bringing in $4,169.51. What did you do to achieve that?
We organized our event as our yearly community service project. We ran two hat days in which students and staff could donate $1.00 and then were allowed to wear a hat all day. We also ran a competition by homerooms with the collection boxes provided by LLS and used tally charts (above) as a motivator. Each day we updated the posters so that the students could see who was in the lead.
What does your student population look like?
We have 830 students and 80 staff members at Riverside Middle School. We ran our program with 32 homerooms. We have around 50% on free or reduced lunch. It is amazing to see our students give so much to those in need.
What was the best part of the program?
All of the materials that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society provides makes the program super simple to run.
What was the most successful aspect of your program?
The little collection boxes were a huge hit and really do encourage students to turn in more money.
Any advice for others?
Do this program because it is for such a good cause and use the materials that LLS provides. They are very helpful.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Student Series is a service learning, character education and philanthropy program that gives students a unique experience to make a difference through teamwork and aid thousands of children and adults in the fight against blood cancers like leukemia. As children move through their years at school, they can grow with the Student Series and have an even greater impact on the lives of blood cancer patients. The Series is designed specifically for each age group of students from pre-kindergarten through high school.
We are currently signing up schools for the 2015-2016 school year. Your school can participate anytime during the year, for any length of time that works for you. Our Student Series staff are here to support you every step of the way and will provide planning sessions and materials for your program.
How can you help? We are always looking for coordinators to run the program at their school; we are looking for volunteers to meet with school coordinators and for survivors to share their story. If you would like to sign up your school, volunteer or simply request more information, please visit our website or email the Student Series team.