William Penn Elementary School, an Indianapolis public school, managed to raise a total of $7,309.49 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Pennies for Patients campaign to fund cancer research by collecting pennies, dimes, nickels and quarters. The school was able to accomplish this despite having a 92 percent poverty rate.

William Penn Elementary provides students with free lunch and free breakfast. Last year, the high-poverty school raised more money for the Pennies for Patients campaign than any other school that provided free lunch and free breakfast for their students. The school also came in tenth place out of all the schools in Indiana that participated in the fundraiser.

Third-grade teacher Kimberly Flake had organized the fundraising effort at the school. On Friday, an assembly took place to reward the children. One teacher would give an Elvis impersonation. Another teacher would shave his head. Flake said, “We have a caring staff and caring parents. Raising $7,000 at a high-poverty school proves they are caring for people.

Third-grade student Gabriel Salinas at William Penn Elementary states that the money “will be used for medicine for the kids that feel bad with cancer.” The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s goal is to accumulate $650,000 in donations from all the 621 schools in Indiana.

– Rafael Panlilio

Source: FAO