Harrison School District Two

Since April 22, the students of Stratton Meadows Elementary School have been dropping their spare pennies, nickels, and dimes into small containers in their classrooms, taking part in a school-wide fundraiser. Over a period of four weeks, the students watched as the coins filled a five-gallon container to the top. During the campaign, the Stratton Meadows students contributed $388.06 to Pennies for Peace, a program that provides education to less fortunate children in remote villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

These incredible and generous students, many of whom live in poverty, have demonstrated that individual small contributions can accomplish great feats when they come together as a community. Kindergartner Aaliyah understands the importance of this project and was excited to help. When asked "Why are we doing Pennies for Peace?" she said, "To help other people from other countries that don't have school stuff."

Stratton Meadows Elementary School initiated the Pennies for Peace drive in response to a request by COL Paul Oettinger, USA, currently deployed to Afghanistan. When asked what could be done to support the efforts of the troops, COL Oettinger asked for support of charitable efforts to build schools in South Asia. The Student Council, under the guidance of Counselor Jessi Krebs, eagerly voted to support Pennies for Peace. They understood that their support could provide books and supplies and even help build a school in remote villages. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, a penny will purchase a single pencil. A dollar will pay for a teacher for one day. An entire school costs $50,000.

Pennies for Peace, a program of the Central Asia Institute (CAI), educates children about the world beyond their community and shows them that they can make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time. The mission of CAI focuses on community-based education, especially for girls, in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Stratton Meadows' students learned that children in Pakistan and Afghanistan must overcome many barriers to gain an education. They now understand that education contributes to achieving world peace and helps fight the spread of violence.