Waconia Middle School has participated in the Pennies for Patients campaign for the past 20 years, and in the last decade it has been repeatedly recognized for its achievements in raising near the top dollar, or penny, amount. This year was no exception. The grand total for the 2019 donations was $16,625.74.
The campaign supports the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s mission to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.
In planning the campaign, students and teachers set numerous milestone goals for the three-week fundraising period. For example, at the $6,400 milestone, the teachers received a “Pie in the Face” at a student assembly.
The $9,600 milestone was the “Principal’s Challenge: Egg Smash Trivia Roulette.” During a lunch period, principal Shane Clausen and assistant principal Keith Baune took turns answering questions. When they were wrong, students got to smash an egg over their head. In the end, there were many broken eggs because, according to students, some of the questions were “ridiculously hard.”
The largest milestone was $16,000. When that amount was raised, “Ms. Hart Gets a Mohawk.” Students gathered before school to support and cheer on their teacher as stylist Jessie Hamble cut and styled Hart’s hair into a Mohawk. The hair was donated to Wigs for Kids, a nonprofit organization that helps children suffering from hair loss.
The school plans to continue this tradition of raising donations in fun and interactive ways for the kids. “We’re empowering students to take on the leadership, focus on other people, and support a greater cause,” Clausen said.