MLES Coin Drive raises almost $16,000

Mt Laurel Elementary School held its annual Coin Drive the week of Aug. 19-23, raising nearly $16,000.

Students participated in dress-up days for the week, including: Put on Your Thinking Caps (Hat Day), Nerdy Nickels, Workout Wednesday, Quarters for Quarterbacks, and Super Hero shirt day.

PTO President Jill Bensinger said the money raised will go to purchase technology for the classrooms, which they hope to have in place before the end of the first semester.

Throughout the week, students had been trying to guess the Mystery Knight, who protects the money and spreads kindness throughout the school.

After school secretary Michelle Kuckens was revealed to be the Mystery Knight, she along with Principal Celita Deem and Assistant Principal Tina Neighbors played a basketball shootout.

On Crazy Cash Day, any child who brought in $50 was afforded the chance to guess the number of gumballs in a jar to win a Chromebook. This year’s winner was fifth-grader Gracie Williams.

The coin drive concluded with a pep rally Friday.