Penny project is wildly successful

Here I am lifting one of the $50 bags of pennies that the elementary students have filled since Feb. 2. I did this during the assembly that featured reps from the Denver Mint, as noted by the screen behind me.
It looks like our 170+ kids will have brought in well over $1,000 when the final tally is taken. This is phenomenal when you consider this is a rural school district with a high rate of poverty. This dollar amount represents 100,000 pennies! This is proof -- to me, at least -- of the power of the penny! We'll announce which grade brought in the most pennies on March 5 and they'll get a pizza party. All the kids will get an ice cream party. And none of it will cost us a cent since local businesses have made donations. Penny power! Penny power! Penny power!

I mentioned our fundraiser and our story contest in a guest commentary I did for The Denver Post on Feb. 12. You can read that at http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_11682251.