Local school collecting pennies for good cause

MARQUETTE — One local school has been collecting pennies while competing with fellow classmates, all for a good cause.

Students at the Marquette Alternative High School are raising money for microloans through the non-profit organization, Kiva. This organization allows people to lend money over the internet to low-income entrepreneurs and students around the world. The classroom with the most pennies will win an exciting prize, but students have the chance to intimidate the competition.

“With the silvers and dollars, it subtracts pennies from the jar, so the only thing that adds up in there is pennies,” said Marquette Alternative High School 9th Grader, Sheldon Boyle.

Students from all different grade levels are welcome to participate. Holding this annual war, gives students the chance to learn important life lessons about helping others, such as empathy.

“It feels good knowing we are helping people somewhere else,” said 9th Grader, Jesse Cass. “I’ve done is since like elementary school and it has always been fun to win prices and help people, like the homeless. It’s just something good to do,” said 10th Grader, Savannah Fortin.

“It feels rewarding to know you are helping someone else start off and build a future for themselves,” said 12th Grader, Brandon Simpson.

When the time is up, the pennies will be tallied and decided which organization the money will be donated towards.