Students raise almost $2,000 for books

Huntington Beach students brought in bags of pennies, spare change and dollars to raise nearly $2,000 for books for needy children around the country.

Dr. Ralph E. Hawes Elementary School partnered with Scholastic for a One for Books program before the school’s Scholastic Book Fair. Students competed for 10 days to win a competition to be the classroom to donate the most money.

Scholastic pledged to donate one book for every dollar the students donated, said Parent Teacher Assn. President Stephanie Klauss. The school then got to keep the money raised and buy books from Scholastic for the school’s library and classrooms, said Kathy Novelli, PTA executive vice president and Book Fair chairwoman.

“This has far surpassed anything we’ve done in the past,” Novelli said.

The 691 students blew the $700 goal out of the water and raised enough money to put books in the hands of 1,900 kids across America.

Scholastic donates the books to three national nonprofit organizations: the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, the National Center for Family Literacy and Kids in Distressed Situations Inc.

Tim Kamp’s fourth-graders won the classroom competition and all got a hardback copy of “Wishworks, Inc.” that they were going to read in class.

The rest of the school joined in the celebration for raising more than their goal with a Jammin’ Pajama Party Day. Students had the opportunity to wear their pajamas to school, got an extra 15 minutes at recess and had free seating — as opposed to assigned tables — at lunch time.

“Needless to say, they earned it,” Klauss said.

— Britney Barnes