By Jennifer DeYoung
Eager students can’t wait to talk about the project they have helped run at PS 94.
Many of the school’s students helped raise money and awareness for Pennies for Patients, a three-week project for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society, a charity that helps children diagnosed with blood cancer.
This is the third year the school has run the project, and each year the students have surpassed the goal set of how much money they will raise.
The first year, the students raised $1,200. This year, they collected $3561, far above their goal of $2,500, said Angela Marinez, the campaign coordinator.
“Everyone really comes together as a school community for this,” said Marinez.
To make this happen, students, led by the fifth graders, organized bake sales, put collection boxes in the cafeteria, and hung posters to encourage donations.
One particularly innovative idea, called A Quarter and a Quote, was a hit among the students. For a quarter, students could write an inspirational message that would be hung up on the walls all over the school.
Marinez said that the teachers also helped a lot, contributing donations through raffles for the faculty. The Norwood Dunkin’ Donuts on Jerome Avenue also donated money for the cause.
Courtney Roosa, the Pennies for Patients coordinator for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society, said that she was very impressed with the students and all the work they did. The money raised, she explained, goes towards patient services, financial aid for patients and their families, and research for a cure to blood cancers.
“We’re so grateful for the help,” she added. “Blood cancer is the most common kind of cancer in young kids, so it’s great that these guys are helping people their own age.”
While the whole school contributed in big ways, there was one classroom in particular that helped hit and extend the goal. The first graders of Ms. Josiah’s class raised $200 on their own, the largest amount for a single classroom during the project.
“It’s a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun, too,” said fifth grader Rudy Pena.
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