BRUCETON MILLS — Don’t bet against Robin Hagedorn’s class in a challenge.
For the third year in a row, her first-grade class has won the Change Challenge, a Relay for Life fundraiser held at Bruceton School. The school raised a total of $3,249.61, and Hagedorn’s 21 students collected $679.39.
Their total includes a $150 donation from March-Westin, a Morgantown company, but Hagedorn is proud to note the class would have won even without that donation, though it is much appreciated. Students wrote thank-you letters last week to the company.
For the nine days of the challenge, students brought in change and dropped it into buckets in the classrooms. Hagedorn and some other teachers also used a “reminder” app to prompt parents to clean out under couch cushions and look under car seat for more coins.
“The parents kind of got into it,” Hagedorn said.
In addition to bragging rights and knowing they are helping a good cause, her students each got a medal on a ribbon and will vote on whether they want ice cream from the Mill Place or pizza from Pizza Pro, both Bruceton restaurants.
Student Jack Walls knows exactly how he’ll vote.
“I want to eat lunch at Pizza Pro, because they have a place for kids to wait while they cook your pizza,” he said.
Walls collected $50.
“It was really fun. It was exciting,” he said. “I called a lot of family members, and they gave me way more than I expected.”
Classmate Eileen Parks agreed the change gathering was fun, but said it was more exciting, “when they announced on the last day that we won, and everybody was excited and jumping up and down.”
The Change Challenge is a family tradition for Brianna Martin.
“My brother won last year whenever he was in first grade with Mrs. Hagedorn,” she said. “And he got a medal and got to go eat ice cream.”
Preston County Relay for Life will be from 3-11 p.m. June 16 at the Bruceton Mills Youth Football Field, located at 70 Morgantown St.
