BAY HEAD — Students of Bay Head School are making a change all week long as their annual coin drive, hosted by the student council, is underway.
Each year, the Bay Head Student Council, under the guidance of science teacher Lauren Galarza, organizes a week-long coin drive, when each class works to raise the most money for a charity of its choosing.
Galarza told The Ocean Star, “Each year, the student council votes on an organization to raise money for our annual coin drive. We always hold it in January because it kicks off the year with a fun way to raise money, as the students love dressing up for ‘SPIRIT’ week. We then end it with a wholescale pep rally, where the students engage in relay races like hula-hooping over each person or an obstacle course.”
Last year, the recipient of the drive was the Jimmy Jimmy Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises money to teach children how to swim.
This nonprofit was established in 2019 after the loss of Jimmy Bangura, nephew of founder Mo Nabie. The Jimmy Jimmy Foundation aims to help save lives and nurture dreams in his honor. This foundation is an organization that strives to better communities while focusing on investing in children and youth.
In total, the students of Bay Head raised $1,014.63 last year, and hope to surpass that goal with this year’s drive.
This year, the drive will benefit the Bag Buddies Foundation, honoring Navy Capt. John “Bag” Hefti’s legacy through academic scholarships and support of local youth sports.
“This year our treasurer, sixth-grader Conrad O’Hara, suggested we dedicate it to his uncle’s nonprofit organization, which donates sporting equipment and scholarships to school aged children and the council members agreed,” said Galarza. “We always try to change it up to keep the motivation going and raise the most money.”
The students will participate in five themes throughout the week, bringing in the corresponding coin for that day including: Pajama Penny Monday, Novel Nickel Day (dressing up like a favorite book character), Dream Jobs Day, Throwback Thursday Quarters Day and Anything But A Backpack on Friday, when students are encouraged to bring in bills.
Anything But A Backpack “is pretty popular and the students really wanted to get creative, so we will see what Friday brings,” said Galarza. “I always encourage the student council members that this organization promotes leadership among the students and that it is their responsibility to come up with ideas that they feel will have a positive impact on our Shark community, I just help with paperwork.”
She further said, “Everything the student council sponsors from fun guessing games, dances to fundraisers is voted on by the students and their ideas.”
Before winter break, Student Council Vice President Coco Curtis wanted to host a spirit week as a way for the student council to raise money for new T-shirts. She presented her ideas to the other members and they all chipped in by selling chocolate-covered Oreos, which they also made; festive hats and a guessing game, according to Galarza.
“To end the week the members made positive word bracelets and gave them out the last day before break to many of the students and staff,” she further said.
After this coin drive, the student council is planning on hosting a middle school dance in February or March and sponsoring a school out in California that was destroyed in the wildfires.
Galarza said, “These are just some of the examples of the students’ ideas they present at meetings. The purpose of the organization is to build student leadership and community and these students work very hard every year to promote that. We also have a very supportive student body that participates and a great sense of community among teachers, students and families here at Bay Head School.”
The class that raises the most money will receive a Chick-Fil-A lunch courtesy of the student council. The winner will be announced on Monday with a mascot from Chick-Fil-A present to congratulate the winning class.
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