CCMS students raising money for Harvey victims

What started as Creston Community Middle School eighth-grader Gage Skarda joking around with art teacher Bill Fundermann quickly turned into a plan of action.

Now, Skarda and fellow eighth-grader Logan Hoakison are spearheading an effort to raise money for Hurricane Harvey victims.

“I was talking to Mr. Fundermann and I told him, just kind of joking around, ‘I’m going to go talk to Mr. Baker and tell him we need to wear our hats in school,’” Skarda said. “He was like, ‘Well, I have an idea. We could tell him we’re going to raise money for the hurricane victims.’”

Skarda and Hoakison took the idea to CCMS Principal Brad Baker, who approved the plan.

“I’m pretty proud of the kids when they come in and they think of donating money to others instead of themselves,” Baker said. “It’s two-fold, because they’re also staying up on current events around the world. It indicates their world is bigger than themselves or Creston.”

Now, Creston Community Middle School students can wear their hats in school this week by paying $1 each day.

“They have to get a pass,” said CCMS TAG instructor and student government sponsor Danielle Flores. “They have to pay a dollar when they come in in the morning or they can give more if they want – whatever they want to donate. They get a pass that they carry around with them that says they can wear the hat.”

The idea behind the fundraiser was simple.

“We like to wear hats,” Hoakison said.

“We like to wear hats and might as well put it to a good cause,” Skarda added.

Hoakison said he and Skarda planned to put posters up around the school Tuesday afternoon reminding their fellow students about the fundraiser.

“It gives the kids an opportunity to do something fun, but they like to do it while raising money for something positive,” Flores said. “A lot of the kids were unsure if they were going to be able to do it today. There were even girls today who were like, ‘We could wear hats?’ The three-day weekend, I think, threw them off.”

Baker said since Skarda and Hoakison approached him with their idea, he’s had several other students thinking about other ways Creston Community Middle School can raise money for Harvey victims, as well.

Flores and student government co-sponsor Jessie McClellan also plan to sell slushies at school one day to help add to the total.

“If anyone wants to add to our cause, they can send it here and we’ll lump it in with ours. We’re just doing money, obviously,” McClellan said. “It makes me feel proud that they took the initiative to help others. They did all the work to make it happen. I’m glad they are able to recognize others needed help and had the drive to help people they don’t know and will never meet.”

To add to the students’ fundraising total, contact Flores or McClellan at Creston Community Middle School by calling 641-782-2129.