An eventful couple of weeks at St. James Elementary culminated Thursday and Friday, as students and staff celebrated the completion of two fundraising projects.

During Catholic Schools Week, St. James held a Pennies War in which classes competed against one another to collect funds for two international students. In all, the competition raised $1,095 to be split and given to one student in Guatemala and another in the Philippines. Michael Rube’s 1st grade class won the Pennies War, and their prize was getting to deliver a pie in the face of P.E. Teacher, Mitchell Drey. Brooklyn Greiner was the lucky student voted to administer the pie.

With February being American Heart Month, St. James Elementary also engaged in the Kids Heart Challenge. This program combines fundraising, service-learning, physical activity to support the American Heart Association. In its first year participating, a donation goal for St. James was set at $1200. The incentive once again involved Mr. Drey, but this time he would be taped to a wall by the students. On Friday, students earned prizes for their participation in the project, where it was announced that they had more than doubled their fundraising goal. Needless to say Mr. Drey took another one for the team.

To learn more about the Kids Heart Challenge, click here.