Caitlin Neri

St. Dominic Savio School wasn't satisfied with results of last year's "Penny Cup Challenge" charity fund drive. So, this year, the school let three eighth graders plan and carry it out.

The results are in. Last month, the kids turned over $1,560 to Our Lady's Inn, a shelter for homeless, abused and pregnant women. That total was six times the 2002 total.

And it amounted to more than $7 for each of the 217 students at the school.

Thirteen-year-old Caitlin Neri was one of the girls who planned this year's school-wide fund drive. She said, "When kids do something without adults, sometimes it works better."

Fourteen-year-old Susie Hark said, "Once all the kids knew the goals, it worked."

And 14-year-old Stephanie Nilica added, "We made the fund drive like a contest. Each class set its own goal." She added, "If someone talks about something and challenges you, you'll meet the goal."

The three girls are members of the Service and Spirit Committee of the school's Student Council. In February, it was their turn to organize a school project. They did it in a big way.

Susie Hark

First, they got students in each class to set financial goals. Then, they worked with the classes to plan how they were going to raise the money. And, all during February, the three made repeated trips to each class to see how they were doing and to cheer them on.

Two of the more successful projects were the third graders' Tag Sale and the three bake sales by eighth graders. Fifth graders also sponsored a raffle.

But, there were lots of individual donors. One kid donated a 50-dollar bill that he'd earned by work around his house.

The three organizers seemed to be everywhere during the campaign.

The school has a TV program and all three appeared on the morning news. They also made posters to pin up throughout the school. And the three were a team that appeared repeatedly in the individual classes.

Caitlin Neri said the three visited each classroom three or four times during the month-long campaign.

Principal Susan Hooker said the girls' enthusiasm "empowered all students." In a school newsletter report, she said, "Awesome job, SDS."

The third graders' Tag Sale involved kids donating items from home and selling them to their classmates. Among the items were books, puzzles and stuffed animals.

Stephanie Nilica

Stephanie Nilica said, "They opened up like a store for a one-day sale." The Tag Sale netted over $300.

The fifth graders' Raffle involved items the kids had at home and didn't want anymore.

The eighth graders started with one bake sale. But, they ended up with three.

First, they donated cakes that had been bought at area bakeries. The school has a policy against using home-baked foods.

Then, after a Boy Scout bake sale, the eighth graders sold leftover cakes. And finally they also sold leftover pastries from a Grandparents Bake Sale. All items were sold for a quarter.

The three bake sales netted $285.

But, the heart of the Penny Cup Challenge was the large jars that were in each classroom throughout February. Kids were urged to contribute whatever they could when they came to school in the mornings.

These individual donations made up about half of the total $1,560.

The three eighth graders presented the money to officials at Our Lad's Inn on March 6. The kids were accompanied by Principal Hooker and other school administrators.

The fund drive activities didn't keep the three girls from their school work. All are good students. They all pick social studies as their favorite class. They like the history portion the best.

Stephanie and Susie haven't decided on their future careers. But, Caitlin said she hopes to be a professional chef like her dad.