“A penny for your thoughts …a pretty penny…penny pincher…Pennies From Heaven…”
First minted in the US over 230 years ago, the ubiquitous penny is celebrated in sayings and songs.
But earlier this month, the last production pennies rolled off the press. Although about 115 billion remain in circulation, the copper coins are heading the way of dinosaurs, DVDs and overhead projectors.
Yet pennies still ruled in last week’s penny wars, a fundraiser held by the Elementary Student Council. All told, the students raised $2,647.24, over five times the amount K-8 School Counselor Shanna Roloff expected.
“I thought $500 was realistic.”
In the Student Council penny wars, pennies and bills tossed into buckets–one bucket for each grade pre-K through sixth–added to the score of that grade while silver coins dropped into a bucket subtracted from it. So, the students brought money to school and scored points for their grade by adding pennies and paper bills to their grade’s bucket while sabotaging their opponents by putting silver coins in the buckets of the other grades.
Because every red cent mattered, penny wars was designed to be all inclusive, Roloff said.
“Younger kids can put in pennies and know they still help,” explained the students.
The competition lasted Monday through Friday. The buckets for the students to add the change were set out in the school vestibule each day before classes started. Each of the first four days, Roloff posted the total points for each grade, so the students knew what other team to sabotage to try to earn the most points for their grade. They also wanted to neutralize pennies in the classes of siblings and friends. All funds in the buckets went toward the fundraiser.
“The excitement was amazing,” Roloff said.
With the highest score, the fifth graders found out they won after the proceedings from Friday morning were figured in. They will get to celebrate as a class for their efforts. Meanwhile, the money raised will supply winter gear for students to borrow at school when they forget or for students in need, Roloff said.
Above: Shanna Roloff enjoyed the students’ excitement on the last day of penny wars.