LCC students fight to aid area residents with Penny War
COLERIDGE — LCC Middle School students saw a problem and wanted to help make things better.
The Student Council launched a Penny War to raise funds for an area family.
“The Student Council members wanted to do this to think about others, not just ourselves,” Kennedy Hall said about the #TeamNate Penny War.
The idea was launched after members of the LCC Middle School Student Council heard of the band teacher at the Neligh-Oakdale School, Nate Metschke, who had lost his battle with cancer during surgery complications Dec. 24.
Hall is one of the members of the Student Council committee that planned the #TeamNate Penny War at the LCC Middle School. Other committee members included Maddy Graham, Laney Folkers, Stella Kock and Addison Hoeppner.
“LCC is trying to pass on the #BeKind movement, this was one way we could help others outside our own community,” said Graham.
The LCC Middle School Student Council brainstormed some ways to aid this family during their time of mourning, it was decided they would organize a penny war, one tangible way the students could help the Metscke family.
The committee worked together to come up with rules to follow for participants, create advertising material, and get the project approved through the proper school channels. The students sent home notes and hung up posters throughout the school.
The penny war encourages participants to bring in their pennies to see who could collect the most. If other change was brought in, those totals took away from the penny amount.
Once the war was established at the LCC Middle School, it snowballed to the elementary and high school. From there, the idea to challenge other area schools was brought up. Amy Hall, Middle School Student Council Adviser, emailed several area schools to encourage them to partake in the penny war.
“We decided to extend it to the surrounding communities. The schools all together collected nearly $3800,” said Hall, regarding the many area schools who participated in the #TeamNate Penny War. Area schools include but not limited to are, Wayne, Hartington-Newcastle, Clearwater, Elgin, St. Boniface and Pope John.
The LCC Middle School collected $725.53, the elementary collected $144.31, and the high school collected $159.77.
“I learned to do good for others around you, even if you don’t know them,” said Graham.
The Penny War ended Feb. 14, a check has been sent to the Metschke family directly.
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