For the past 17 years, the high school has raised money for cancer patients through an organization called Pennies for Patients. This year, they are no longer fundraising for Pennies for Patients, but from January until the end of the school year, the government classes will be fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The classes will continue to refer to the event as Pennies for Patients, however, since that is name students are familiar with, Wait said.

All six government classes will each hold their own fundraising event to try to raise a lot of money. Each different class period will plan their own fundraiser. 

“My class is thinking of doing a student versus teacher volleyball game,” junior Ella Hoover said.

The different classes have to carefully pick a fundraiser that they think a lot of people will want to participate in, so that they can make the most amount of money possible.

“My class really wants to have a schoolwide powder puff game,” junior Carmen Wells said.

There are usually a couple of big fundraisers that make the most money, but No Math Day is usually the fundraiser that makes the most. No Math Day is a day when people can bring in change to their math class and then their math teacher will count it. If the teacher runs out of money to count, then the class has to do work, but if students bring in enough money that the teacher is counting it the entire period, then that class does not have math that day.

“I think that No Math Day will raise the most money this year because that is what raised the most money last year, and so many students participate in it,” Wells said.

Two classes were really set on making a school-wide powder puff game. They think that they will make a lot of money since it’s a fun game that a lot of students want to be a part of. Instead of including only a juniors versus seniors game, they are thinking about possibly adding a freshman versus sophomore game as well because it will help them make the most money that they can.

“I think Powderpuff will raise the most money because there will be a lot of people who will participate since it is such a fun game,” Hoover said.

“Last year, No Math Day made the most money, but writing letters to companies to ask for money donations is the number one way to get money,” said government teacher Mr. Wait. “About half of the money made last year was from letter writing. Last year, overall, they raised $21,103, and since 2004 they have raised over $100,000. Last year’s group was 10th in the country and number 1 in Ohio.”

A lot of different schools around the country do a Pennies for Patients fundraiser.

“I have been doing this fundraiser with my classes for four years, however, the school as a whole has been doing it since 2004,” Wait said.

Since the official Pennies for Patients was discontinued this summer, students needed to pick a new organization this year.

“This year, students sat through a zoom call where three different organizations gave a presentation to try to get the students to pick their organization,” said government teacher Mr. Wait. “After all three presentations, students were most impressed by the Leukemia and Lymphoma society.”

Being able to help people is such a great feeling and the students love being able to get involved with such a big problem that affects a lot of different people.

“I think that the best part of fundraising is getting to help cancer patients in a way that is fun for the students and it brings a lot of different people together,” said junior Carmen Wells.