As you all know I am from the "Armpit of America". My mom, (bless her heart) still teaches 7th and 8th grade science there - Gary, Indiana to be exact.
If you are unfamiliar with the area here are a few interesting facts about Gary, Indiana:
The median income in the city:
Household: $27,195
Family is $32,205.
25.8% of the population and 22.2% of families are below the poverty line.
Information from Wikipedia
72% of the student population is eligible for reduced or free lunches.
Information from Great Schools.net
As you might notice the majority of the students at Mama Chep's school don't have a lot of money. The city also doesn't have a lot of money, therefore the schools are lacking in funds.
Boxtops for Education is a wonderful program that awards schools money to spend on necessary items. Schools can earn up to $20,000 from the box top program. Lake Ridge Elementary (where Mama Chep works) only earned $544 last year.In order to increase participation in the program the school holds a contest 2 times each year. The homeroom that collects the most boxtops wins a much needed prize. A healthy breakfast.
Mama Chep likes to win. She asked me to do what I could to collect boxtops for her students.
SO - if you don't already collect boxtops for a school - please send your boxtops to the post office box at the end of the post and I will be sure she gets them. It's a free way to help a school in need.
You can find boxtops on hundreds of items. You can click here for a list.
I have saved 32 so far....who can beat me??
Chepner's Boxtop Challenge
PO Box 9792
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
14 comments:
I'll start saving them for you if you'll put me back on your "cool people" list...I mean...gawd...I am your freakin' best friend....
I'll try to remember them for you. I live in a school district that doesn't really need them anyway.
It's really sad how some parts of the US are in serious financial trouble. It's all those jobs that no longer exist, but everytime a company gets successful, what do they do? I think we all know the answer, send as many jobs as possible to any third world country that will have them and pay those people pennies compared to what they paid before. I know, I sound like Michael Moore. Sorry for going on like this. Boxtops Ok, I will try to remember.
If I lived in America I'd be on it like a shot.
Good luck!
Blogged you instead. Hope it helps.
:-)
IMO, Biloxi, Missippippi is the "armpit of America". Sorry.
During the summer, it will easily be 85 degrees outside, with 100% humidity... AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
Oh, Chep. Dear Chep. My, my, my.
I've got a couple of questions.
1) How long did it take you to collect 32 box tops?
2) When is the deadline for the final count for each homeroom -- what's the latest date by we should be mailing these?
3) How many total box tops does Mama Chep anticipate needing to win?
4) How many box tops would it take for Mama Chep's school to double last year's funds?
5) How many box tops earn $20,000.00?
6) Just out of curiosity, how many kids are in Mama Chep's homeroom, and how many students attend the school?
With your permission, I'll do a post and link back to your post. The more info you can give me before I do that, the better.
Finally, I'd like to say two things. 1: bless your heart for being a daughter who reaches out to help her mom and to help kids. 2: Thirty-two box tops? Thirty-two? Oh, girl! I am SO going to kick your butt!!!
PS: by WHICH we should be mailing these. Crimony!
OK Zilla here are your answers:
1. Not sure - 3 months I think.
2. I think they have their next contest in April. I will find out for sure tomorrow.
3. 900. Mom had a can at Curves and asked everyone she knew to save.
4. 10,880 (each boxtop is worth 10 cents)
5. 200,000
6. There are 542 kids in the school 340 are eligible for FREE lunch 51 for reduced price. I would guess there are 28 in her homeroom but I can't be sure. I will ask tomorrow.
You more than have permission - you have my gratitude! Spread the word! Let's help the poor kids in Gary!
The answers to your questions straight from MAMA CHEP!
I have 20 kids in Advisory....it is always a smaller than class size group because we spend a lot of the time doing something that we call 'interventions'. They are math skills (like reducing fractions), writing skills, grammar skills, reading skills.....anything that will increase their chances of passing our state exam, ISTEP. My classes are considerably larger than my Advisory. Advisory meets from 8:00-8:30 every day.
The next boxtop competition will end sometime in May...I don't have a definite date.
We did win the Christmas boxtop challenge with 900+ boxtops. We started collecting boxtops the first week of school even though the actual competition did not 'officially' begin until November. I wanted to get the kids in the habit of saving them.
$20,000 is 200,000 boxtops
We have approximately 488 students in grades 6,7,8.
The kids were really excited when I told them this morning...in fact, I even brought up your blog on my computer....they think it's really neat......Thanks again.....
Yay! Mama Chep showed her kids your blog! Cool!
(I'll be watching my vocabulary now.)
My mother is sending some box tops from Vermont. I'm off to get my coffee and post my post.
-- Oh, before I forget, does the school collect Campbell's soup labels, too?
Mom's school doesn't unfortunately.
Wonder if anyone else knows a needy school that collects soup labels. I save them for my Aunt in a rural area but if there is another school that needs it more I would be more than willing to send mine this way.
36 box tops and counting ... are you breaking into a cold sweat yet??? AND, guess what? The girls made Betty Crocker brownies yesterday. They were supreme. They are ON SALE THIS WEEK!!!
We're planning to stock up for the next time we get tapped to contribute to a bake sale. Moooooahahahahahahaaa!
Say Uncle, Chep. Just say Uncle. Zilla has out-box topped you!
Listen 'Z - I will take you down. Sista has to go to the sto lata and pick up some thing - I just may have to make treats for Mr. Chep's crew on 3rd shift this week....BROWNIES ALL AROUND! CUPCAKES FOR ALL!!
Gotta be startin sumpin (a little MJ to keep your mind occupied!!)
I made cornbread tonight.
Two more put in the pile for you!
Man, if only Marlboro was involved.
Just kidding.
Just kidding.
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