Central Elementary and Jones Elementary in Portage have set out on a journey of giving back after being inspired by a really special kid, Ronnie Wilkins. Ronnie Wilkins, a former Jones student, has been nominated by The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as one of the 2016 Student of the Year candidates. The two schools have joined in his campaign to raise as much money as they can in order to help people suffering with these types of blood cancers.
Ronnie’s goal for his team, Refuse to Lose, is to raise $30,000 by April 7th. Ronnie began his fight in 2011 when he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He received a bone marrow transplant and is now a four year cancer survivor with a mission to help others battling cancer. Central and Jones schools are honored to be helping him with this fight!
The schools are battling it out with a Penny War. Here’s how it works: Students bring in pennies to add to their own class total and put silver coins in other class containers to take away from that class’s total! Not only are the schools battling it out within their own school, they are also competing with each other to see which school raises the most overall. The Penny War is fought over a three day period. Students and teachers are working together to count the proceeds and can’t wait to give back all donations they have collected.