SUBSCRIBE FOR ONLY $16.99!

Little School, Big Heart: A Friendly Fundraising Competition to Fight Malaria

Advertisement

Originally published in TEACH Magazine, November/December 2016 Issue

By Lorraine Lapp

It began on a lovely spring afternoon in 2015, when a Grade 7 student came up to me during recess:

Student: ā€œDo you know Rick Mercer?ā€

Me: ā€œYup.ā€

Student: ā€œDo you know about his Spread the Net?ā€

Me: ā€œYup.ā€

Student: ā€œCould we do that?ā€

And with that brief exchange, a seed was planted, one that would eventually grow into one of Macville Public School’s most powerful and positive experiences. The Spread the Net Student Challenge is a friendly competition between Canadian schools to raise funds for malaria-preventing bed nets for families in Africa. The fundraiser is run by Plan International Canada and the top schools win a visit from Rick Mercer, a Canadian comedian who pokes fun at current events on CBC Television’s Rick Mercer Report. He also co-founded the Spread the Net initiative.

We kicked off the Challenge with an early-January assembly led by the Grade 8’s who were eager to shine as school leaders. The goal was to raise $2500 in only two months—about $10 for each of our 240 K-8 students. Using props and promotional materials provided by Plan International Canada, they described how $10 would buy one bed net to help save two lives from malaria. I remember looking down at the faces of some of the kindergarten students—they may have been paying attention, but they weren’t making connections—yet. Within a few days, the kindergarten classes would play a major role in the campaign.

Our first fundraising event was simple: a volleyball tournament during recess. Charging a $1 admission to play or watch, we collected our first $50. A few days later we hosted a spelling bee for Grade 1 to 8 spellers and their fans who each paid $1 admission—another $50! Next came an indoor soccer tournament suggested by our Grade 3 students. More than $100 was raised. The students kept asking for more events.

A group of Grade 3, 4, and 5 artists then asked if they could sell their drawings, paintings, and origami. They worked on their own time and set their own prices: another $100+! Students made daily announcements about Spread the Net and signs were posted advertising each event.

When some of the ā€œkindiesā€ created a jewellery store as part of their play-based learning, one of their teachers realized she could make the social justice issue relevant by putting the students’ jewellery-making talents to work. Simple and inexpensive materials such as fabric, cords, beads, and washers were painted with nail polish or decorated with flashy stickers transforming them into funky and fun items. Class-created posters advertised the sale and notes were sent home to parents. The ā€œkindiesā€ set up shop in their classroom, complete with cash register and store-front signs. Opening day brought in more than $300!

Another student in grade 3 asked her mother if she could sell hot chocolate at a pond rink close by. After municipal approval, and with strong support from the community and her family, she raised $300.

Other students even donated their birthday money!

Our most memorable fundraising event was undoubtedly ā€œPie in the Face.ā€ Ten teachers volunteered to be ā€œpiedā€ with whipped cream in front of the whole school in exchange for donations. For each $5 donation for this event, students got a ballot for the chance to be the pie thrower for a particular teacher. Take it from me—nothing spells school spirit more than having cold, sticky ooze sliding through your hair and down your face while 250+ people howl with laughter. This event was a fan favourite, raising more than $1500, mostly in coins. What was to be done with all that change? It helped to have a colleague whose bank account included a no-fee coin-counting service!

The Grade 7’s and 8’s, who were leading the Challenge, designed a fundraising thermometer that was posted in a hallway. The thermometer’s gauge was marked by dollar amounts and hand-drawn mosquito logos. Each mosquito represented $100 collected. We soon needed another thermometer, then another… then the $100 was changed to $500…then we began to lose track of how many mosquitos we needed!

Near the end of the Challenge, we held another school assembly that attracted a wider audience, including the mayor, regional media, and a former student and local business owner who presented us with a $1000 cheque! Our efforts had reached the broader community. The buzz grew. Donations poured in online right up until the midnight deadline at the end of February. Ultimately, we raised $11,474—enough to provide almost 1200 malaria-preventing bed nets for families in Africa.

And it wasn’t over yet. Thanks to overwhelming student and community response, our small, rural school won the top spot in all of Canada in the elementary category. Early in March 2016, Rick Mercer and his television production team visited. He was recorded crafting jewellery with the ā€œkindies,ā€ interviewing the Grade 8’s who led the Challenge, and even being ā€œPied in the Faceā€, all for part of the 2016 Spread the Net Student Challenge winners’ episode of the Rick Mercer Report.

Participating in the Spread the Net Student Challenge ended up being more than just winning a prize. Our collective community spirit and engagement reached a level I haven’t experienced since I began teaching at Macville Public School more than 15 years ago. It began with an idea suggested by a student that evolved into a movement led by youth, for youth. The students, even the youngest ones, understood that every dollar raised, every poster they created, and every new fundraising event that took place went toward helping real children and their families to have bright and healthy futures. The campaign moved fast, was fun, and reminded our students that the power of one person’s idea can change other people’s lives. Many of our students’ ideas can be applied to future fundraisers while continuing their legacy of being active local and global citizens who are creating profound and positive change.


Lorraine Lapp is a teacher at Macville Public School (Peel District School Board).

Avatar photo

TEACH is the largest national education publication in Canada. We support good teachers and teaching and believe in innovation in education.

Education News

The Birth of StoryQuestā„¢: Storytelling Framework Reignites Writing Confidence in Students

ā€œThe Adventures of Gabriel,ā€ a book co-authored by an 11-year-old boy and his mom, has blossomed into StoryQuestā„¢, an emotional literacy initiative piloted in the U.K.

Talking Educational Equity with Bush Fellow Marvis Kilgore

A dedicated teacher and educational equity strategist, Marvis Kilgore is passionate about increasing Black male representation in teaching. In our conversation, he shares his vision for transforming education.

Student Sleep Health Week Highlights the Powerful Connection Between Sleep and Well-Being

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is hosting its sixth annualĀ Student Sleep Health Week from September 15–19, bringing together families, educators, and community groups to highlight the importance of healthy sleep for students of all ages.

Supporting the Next Generation of AI-Native Learners

The question is no longer should students use AI, but rather: What skills do we equip students with to prepare them for a future where AI is a part of their life?

Join Our Newsletter

Join now for a chance to win 1 of 2 $25 Indigo e-gift cards this month!

TEACH Magazine
TEACH Magazine
TEACH is the largest national education publication in Canada. We support good teachers and teaching and believe in innovation in education.

Advertisement

Read More

The Birth of StoryQuestā„¢: Storytelling Framework Reignites Writing Confidence in Students

ā€œThe Adventures of Gabriel,ā€ a book co-authored by an 11-year-old boy and his mom, has blossomed into StoryQuestā„¢, an emotional literacy initiative piloted in the U.K.

The Value of Accessing Professional Development in Your First Years of Teaching

After my first week of being in a long-term occasional role, it became very clear to me that learning about being in the classroom is not the same as actually being in the classroom.

Talking Educational Equity with Bush Fellow Marvis Kilgore

A dedicated teacher and educational equity strategist, Marvis Kilgore is passionate about increasing Black male representation in teaching. In our conversation, he shares his vision for transforming education.

Student Sleep Health Week Highlights the Powerful Connection Between Sleep and Well-Being

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is hosting its sixth annualĀ Student Sleep Health Week from September 15–19, bringing together families, educators, and community groups to highlight the importance of healthy sleep for students of all ages.

Supporting the Next Generation of AI-Native Learners

The question is no longer should students use AI, but rather: What skills do we equip students with to prepare them for a future where AI is a part of their life?

Break the Ice: The Ultimate Back-to-School Toolkit

Here are six simple icebreaker activities, as recommended by K–12 educators, that are sure to help make this back-to-school season your best one yet.
casinos en mazatlan | casino prestige | casino online deposit paypal | b casino | slots gratis en lƭnea actualizadas | casinos en la paz | lopesan costa bƔvaro resort spa & casino | ballys hotel & casino las vegas | aplicaciones para ganar dinero daviplata | hopper para maquina tragamonedas | como se apuesta en caliente | caliente deportes | juegos de mesa casino | casino revolucion mty | casinos para fiestas | casino bono sin deposito mexico | casino de la feria de colima | chumba casino | viva mƩxico casino monterrey | descuentos ruleta gta 5 | ganar dinero con hacia arriba | casas de apuestas mexico | scratch do ouro | orus casino manzanillo | royal ace casino | ruleta de shots donde comprar | winner casino online | juego de cartas conquian | dual play ruleta live | cartas espaƱolas | ruleta de la muerte 2 | spin casino contact number | ruleta de la vida coaching | dragonary ganar dinero | casino foliatti | bar casino | netwey internet | casino de la feria | slot madness | descargar juegos de maquinas tragamonedas para pc | ballys hotel & casino las vegas | aplicaciones para adultos para ganar dinero | black jack precio | 7c slot casino | cozumel casino | rueda de casino | cocopah casino | penny arcade slots | slot casino gratis |