DES MOINES, Iowa — Spare change is bringing fun-filled competition and new possibilities to a Des Moines elementary school.
Kids at Oak Park Elementary School are facing off in a penny war by grade — and the surrounding neighborhood is getting involved by putting up donation jars in their stores.
"We've told our kids like, 'Our penny war isn't just happening right here at school, we have our community out there, you know, collecting and supporting us as well,'" said Oak Park Principal Alexis Denton.
Shops in the Oak Park and Highland Park neighborhood like Art Terrarium, Des Moines Mercantile, Slow Down Coffee and more are participating.
For teacher Josh Buyck, showing the kids how their community advocates for them is paramount.
"It's important to communicate to students, that a lot of the support has come from the houses that they see every day when they're walking to school, and the community members around them," Buyck said.
In the penny war, collected pennies are positive points, while silver coins like nickels, dimes and quarters, actually subtract points from other teams.
"I can tell you from a teacher's perspective that the game is on, and the competition is real, and kids are having a lot of fun," Buyck said.
While the kids face off in some friendly competition, the fundraising goal will ultimately go toward classroom supplies and school gear for each child.
"It allows us to do things such as buy all of our kids yearbooks, so they can remember their school year and their classmates and all of their memories," Denton said. "[And] get them a t-shirt, an Oak Park Pandas t-shirt, so that they can all feel that sense of pride when they walk in the door."
There are multiple ways to donate. Oak Park students can bring coins to school, while anyone interested in helping can donate to jars seen around the Oak Park and Highland Park neighborhood.
The fundraising competition started on Monday, March 27 and will run through Friday, March 31.