Penny Power for Easter Seal Kids 2013

Event OverviewEvent Concept: • A penny drive with a purpose…educate area school children about the “ value of one

and the power of many”• Schools are asked to organize a penny drive to benefit the Easter Seal Society Prince

Edward Island• The top fundraising school in each region will be awarded with the opportunity to have

student representatives appear on CBC and present a cheque to Easter Seals on behalf of their region on live television!

• The top fundraising class from each school will be awarded with a Pizza Party.• Classroom and teacher/student challenges are encouraged.

Benefits for Participants:• Students learn about helping others; and they don’t have to give a lot to make

a difference: KIDS HELPING KIDS!!• Students will learn about differences in others when it comes to disabilities• Students learn that a kid with a disability is still a kid, just like them• Students learn how disabilities affect people• Students learn about the benefit of giving to their community• Students learn to work as a team towards a goal

Event OverviewTarget Audience:

Primary audience: • Local public and private schools (kindergarten to grade 12• Teachers and Teaching Assistants• Students ages 5-18

Secondary Audience• Students parents/guardians, local businesses

Timing / Seasonality:• Winter (mid-January to mid-April)• Ending up with the Tim Hortons School Tour – April 2013 

Steps to SuccessSchool Challenges

•Principle challenges the students to raise $1000 (or more). If the students meet or exceed the goal the principal will have to kiss a live pig (or any other relatively gross animal).

•Teachers challenge the students to match their collective weight in pennies. If the students match the teachers weight, the teachers will have to sing & dance for the students at the next assembly - or- the teachers will have to create a Penny Power cheer and perform it at the next assembly (pig tails, ‘pompoms’ and at!)

•Students challenge the teachers on who could raise the most money.

Prizes•Create a school incentive draw with a locally donated prize (tickets to a sporting

event, basket full of goodies, apparel, gift certificate). All students that bring in at least $2 in pennies/loose change until a specified date can put their name into the draw to win the prize.

Steps to SuccessInternal Marketing• Obtaining permission from the school to have a Penny Power ‘Blurb’

included on the morning announcements (in some junior high schools grade eight students are mandated to conduct morning announcements). Suggested topics to talk about:

• Simple Penny Power reminder• Reveal a “Penny Fact” (supplied by Easter Seals) every morning• Sing a penny jingle • Arrange for the local Easter Seals ambassador to attend the school’s

assembly and give a presentation on Penny Power• Arrange for volunteers to attend the school’s assembly and give a

fun and energetic presentation on Penny Power• Don’t forget the parent letter/notices…parents have the loose

change!• Touch base with teachers twice a week…keep them posted,

motivated and remind them that a little goes a long away. • Great photo opportunity: have the school mimic the Easter Seals or

Penny Power logo out of pennies on the gym floor. Supply the local schools with the logos and have them enlarge it and outline the logo with pennies