FOES PTO coin drive raises $15,000

Forest Oaks Elementary School’s PTO held its second annual Coin Drive Fundraiser from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1. 

During the five-day event, students and teachers had the opportunity to visit “The Vault” where they were able to watch the change be deposited into a coin machine and learn some interesting facts about money, teamwork and fun Disney trivia. 

Each day’s theme was focused on the specific item being collected that day: Patriotic for Pennies, Neon for Nickels, Disney for Dimes, Quarterbacks for Quarters and Chelsea Blue for Cash and Checks. The entire school had fun dressing up each day and even more fun waiting on the big winner for each day. 

The class that donated the most money each day received a popsicle treat that same afternoon. The daily classroom winners were:

► Pennies: Kathleen Boehme’s first-grade class

► Nickels: Kaylee Smith’s fourth-grade class

► Dimes: Tammy Painter’s fifth-grade class

► Quarters: Tammy Painter’s fifth-grade class

► Cash/Check: Tammy Painter’s fifth-grade class

Throughout the week, every student who donated each day had their name put into a drawing to be held at the schoolwide assembly. During Friday’s activities, any class that had 100 percent participation among its students was entered into a drawing to win a piñata full of candy. 

After all the change, cash and checks were counted Friday afternoon, the entire school met in the gym to celebrate the great achievement of reaching $15,000.  

At the assembly, 18 gift certificates and prizes donated from local businesses were distributed among the students through the drawing. The 100 percent participation piñata drawing winner was Brianna Niven’s fifth-grade class. Finally, the winning classrooms were announced, and they were:

► Fourth place: Vickie  Birdsong’s fourth-grade class 

► Third place: Maria Tarry’s second-grade class

► Second place: Kaylee Smith’s fourth-grade class

► First place: Tammy Painter’s fifth-grade class

Tammy Painter’s fifth-grade class donated a total of $1,298.00 to the coin drive. Their class was the lucky winner of a brand new Chromebook, a Splish Splash party to be held at the school, and front row seating at the Movies on the Lawn event at Forest Oaks Elementary in October. 

The funds raised from this drive will be used to purchase a new mobile chrome cart with 30 Chromebooks for the third-grade wing, along with playground improvements and expansion to meet the needs of the growing student body. 

The Forest Oaks Elementary PTO would like to thank the school’s administration for all their support during our fundraiser; Mr. Mike Krogh for the donation of the coin machine; Avadian Credit Union for the piggy banks distributed during registration confirmation; and, most of all, the Forest Oaks Elementary family and friends who donated their money to this wonderful event. 

Without all of their support, we would not have made our goal. 

– Submitted by Sandi Blakely.