11 Feb 2004
Annual Coin Collection Campaign Teaches Schoolchildren About Philanthropy
DALLAS–Pennies may add up to dollars, but in the case of the pocket change collected over the past five years by the Dallas Independent School District students, the dollars have added to a sum greater than $156,000.
This year, students participating in the Common Cents project donated $56,564.35 of that sum to local nonprofit organizations at a news conference Thursday, Feb. 12. The money was raised by 53 schools during the Common Cents coin-collection campaign.
Superintendent Mike Moses was on hand at the event as the students presented 51 checks to representatives from 33 nonprofit organizations.
Moses said the Common Cents project is more than a coin-collection campaign because it encourages good citizenship and promotes social responsibility in schoolchildren.
"The project engages students in a philanthropic experience that develops leadership skills while providing an avenue for community outreach participation," he said. "Common Cents provides our students the opportunity to make a difference in their communities, one penny at a time."
Of the funds awarded this year to nonprofit organizations, Promise House received the most money, totaling $8,154.58. The agency works to raise the self-esteem of at-risk young people and helps them identify and develop their gifts and talents.
Students at six schools collected more than $2,000. Thomas L. Marsalis Elementary students raised $5,723.98. Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary students raised $4,000; students at Rosemont Elementary raised $3,418.32; students at Raul Quintanilla Middle School raised $3,027.31. John J. Pershing Elementary School raised $2,837.81; and Casa View Elementary School raised $2,237.00.
The Common Cents project was introduced to district students in 1998 by longtime Dallas philanthropist Louise Gartner. Starting with fewer than 10 schools that first year, students raised $8,100. Over the five year history of the program, about 91 nonprofit organizations have received more than $156,000.
Gartner complimented the students for their continued commitment to the project and this year's successful coin collection drive. She said the students efforts were a testimony to the power of philanthropy and its force that changes lives.
"Common Cents project proves that children working together with a philanthropic spirit are empowered to make a substantial contribution to their community," Gartner's stated "By participating in the project, students at a young age learn they have the resources to reach out to the community."
Designed to ignite a passion for philanthropy, the Common Cents project starts in the fall with an orientation for participants. The orientation outlines the mission, objectives and responsibilities of the program. This includes learning the importance of a community's commitment to philanthropy and the rewards of gift giving. The coin collection follows the orientation.
Once the money, mostly coins, is collected, the student roundtables counted literally barrels of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. While coins are being tallied, a request for proposals is issued to alert the nonprofit community about the available funds.
All proposals received by the deadline were reviewed and discussed by each of the participating students who raised at least $1,000. Schools that collected less than a $1,000 were partnered together in a joint roundtable discussion.
The winning proposals were selected through consensus reached in the roundtable discussions. The students awarding the grants invited the winning nonprofit organizations to the news conference, the culminating event of the Common Cents campaign.
Attached is a list of the nonprofit organizations selected by the students to be recipients of the funds raised in this year's Common Cents Campaign.
COMMON CENTS AWARD RECIPIENTS
Casa View Elementary $2,237
Promise House
White Rock Center of Hope
Paul L. Dunbar Learning Center, $1,488.84
Austin Street Centre
W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy, $1,137.62 Camp Summit
Promise House
Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary, $4,000
Head Start of Greater Dallas, Lake June Center
Reading Is Fundamental
Child Abuse Prevention Center
Family Gateway
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Hillcrest High School, $1,520.88
Equest
Greater Dallas Metroplex Salvation Army
Anson Jones Elementary, $1,192.30
Dallas Head Start- Jerry Junkins Head Start
O.W. Holmes Middle School, $1,020
American Red Cross
Child Abuse Prevention Center
Oak Cliff Churches for Emergency Aid
Sam Houston Elementary, $1,061.12
Bryan's House
Jonathan's Place
Louise Kahn Elementary, $1,609.17
Phoenix Project
Texas Work Force Center, Redbird
Kleberg Elementary, $1,133.37
Children's Medical Center,
Social Work Case Management G.I. Liver Transplant
Sidney Lanier Center for Expressive Arts, $1,691.15
Promise House
Child Abuse Prevention Center
B.H. Macon, $1,739
Child Abuse Prevention Center
Promise House
SPCA
Thomas L. Marsalis Elementary School, $5, 723.98
Center for Brain Health
Child Abuse Prevention Center
Dallas CASA
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Promise House
Southwest Diabetic Foundation
Thomas C. Marsh Middle School, $1,517
SPCA
Ronald E. McNair Elementary School, $1,240.33
Dallas Head Start, Gannon Head Start
Promise House
William B. Miller Elementary School, $1,000
Dallas CASA
Family Gateway
George Peabody Elementary School, $1,047.34
Child Abuse Prevention Center
Our Neighbor's Closet
John J. Pershing, $2,837.81
Childrens Medical Center
K.B. Polk Center for Academically Talented & Gifted, $1,251.85
Family Gateway
SPCA
Raul Quintanilla Sr. Middle School, $3,027.31
SPCA
John H. Reagan Elementary School, $1,228.54
AVANCE-Dallas
Communities In Schools
Oak Cliff Churches for Emergency Aid
Rosemont Elementary School, $3,418.32
Dallas CASA
Dallas Life Foundation
Family Gateway
School of Business and Management, $1,000
Child Abuse Prevention Center
Victims Outreach
Stevens Park Elementary School, $1,494.00
Child Abuse Prevention Center
Mark Twain Fundamental Vanguard, $1,000.84
Leukemia & Lymphoma
Family Gateway
Urban Park Elementary School, $1,788.94
American Red Cross
Dallas CASA
Promise House
Winnetka Elementary, $1,027.13
SPCA
Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary, $1,532.91
Jonathan's Place
Sarah Zumwalt Middle School, $1,027.50
Promise House
Joint Roundtable Schools: $5,569.80
William M. Anderson Elementary, Arcadia Park Elementary, Edward H. Cary Middle, George Washington Carver Learning Center, Stephen C. Foster Elementary, E.B. Comstock Elementary, Gabe P. Allen Elementary, David W. Carter High, S.S. Conner Elementary, Gilbert Cuellar Elementary, Amelia Earhart Elementary, Charles A. Gill Elementary, W.H. Gaston Middle, Tom C. Gooch Elementary, D.A. Hulcy Middle, John H. Ireland Elementary, Justin F. Kimball High, Esperanza H. Medrano Elementary, Umphrey Lee Elementary, Edna Rowe Elementary, W.W. Samuell High, Priscilla L. Tyler Learning Center, Daniel Webster Elementary
Nonprofit Organizations: American Red Cross, Austin Street Centre, AVANCE Dallas, Bryan's House Our Neighbors Closet, Child Abuse Prevention Center, Equest, RIF, Children's Medical Center, Childrens Medical Center Dallas-Transport Center, Gannon Head Start, Jerry Junkins Head Start, Medical Center Social Work Case Management Liver Transplant, Christian Community Ministries, Oak Cliff Churches for Emergency Aid, Dallas CASA, Communities In Schools, Leukemia Association of North Central Texas, Jonathan's Place, Family Gateway, Southwest Diabetic Foundation, Camp Summit, Lake June Head Start, Texas Work Force Center, Dallas Life Foundation, Salvation Army, SPCA, Lake June Head Start and Promise House