Here in the Moniteau School District, there has been a hard-fought battle going on!

For the last week or so, the classes at Dassa McKinney Elementary have been waging a penny war.  I had never heard of a penny war, so when my first grader starting ransacking the house for pennies, I needed an explanation.

"Sometimes people are hungry, and we have to help them, Mom.  We are all supposed to bring in pennies, and raise money for them."

Well, I already support our local food pantry, so I had no problem helping him find change to send in.  I filled a zip-loc bag with quarters and pennies, all kinds of change, and put it in his back pack.  He kept telling me not to send the quarters, but I told him that it was ok, he could take MORE money for the hungry people.  He kept telling me no.  Finally, he took all of the money, but he was VERY displeased with me.

Turns out, he was right, I was wrong.  (He is SO pleased about that...)

Each classroom has a jar, and the highest score at the end of the war gets bragging rights, and a pizza party.

Pennies are the only thing that count!  You don't want any silver change in your class jar.  You are supposed to put the silver (and bills) in the other classroom's jars!  It's a point system.

A penny is worth one point.

But a nickel takes 5 points OFF your score.  NEGATIVE FIVE!  Obviously, a dime is negative 10, etc.

So, if your mother insists that you take in silver change, you need to put it in some other class jar! 

I was at the school today.  Let me tell you what our little elementary school did. 

Around THREE THOUSAND dollars!

The final numbers aren't in yet, but I am so proud of our students!  This is a little school, only 700 students. 

Look what children can do to change the world.  (That's a pun, get it?)

I'm going to make sure our local paper prints up a story about it! 

Good job, Dassa McKinney!  Our students, teachers and staff showed a lot of heart with this project!

Thanks!

***UPDATE***

The total is <drumroll>     

$4301.00

FOUR THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED and ONE DOLLARS!!!!! 

DASSA MCKINNEY ROCKS!!!!