Parent Teacher Enrichment Group Volunteer: Sarah Mercado

Sarah Mercado went from being a homeschooling mom to volunteer and school treasurer in the sweep of a pen. 

Sarah Mercado, a former homeschooling parent, enrolled her son at Pinellas Preparatory Academy. In the school's welcome package, a letter outlined the parent volunteer requirements: each family must volunteer 20 hours per school year.

At the time the school's treasurer position was also wide open. So when Mercado signed up her son, she also signed herself up as a volunteer and school treasurer. The mom stepped up to her new role.

Her teenage son was in several Pinellas County schools. She had pulled him out a couple of times to homeschool. Although he did well, last year he asked to try public school again. Mercado searched for schools and thought the smaller class sizes at Pinellas Preparatory Academy would be a good fit for the seventh grader. Mercado decided to stop homeschooling and enroll her son.

School volunteering may have been mandatory, but her decision to volunteer came from a her heart.

"Before then, it was just me and him...I couldn't go from that to nothing. I wanted to be involved at his school," Mercado said.

Mercado is experienced in sharing her time. She's an alternate teacher at her church, Unity Church of Clearwater. She volunteered when her son was there as a preschooler. Mercado learned to get involved and give back from her mother.

"My mom was involved in band boosters. She was always involved in my school events and fundraisers," Mercado said.

Mercado started as the Parent Teacher Enrichment Group's treasurer, but her volunteer time morphed into other needed areas, like the school's book fair, holiday bake sale and the school's ever popular, Penny Challenge Fundraiser. The fundraiser, played like a game, is a student favorite. The fundraiser challenges students to bring in the most pennies to their homeroom classes. The class with the highest total will win the challenge.

The fundraiser's unique twist is that you can drop a homeroom's total by putting in silver coins, like nickels, dimes and quarters or by donating bills. The ability to negate a class total, spurs kids to drop coins into other classroom collection jars.

Mercado decided to spur the competition by counting the change daily. New totals are announced the next day.

"I love listening to the kids in the hallway. They want to know totals and who's ahead. You hear them talking about it," Mercado said.

Her dedication and commitment means she's frequently at school. During the five weeks of the Penny Challenge, she visits daily to pick up the change and count it. She doesn't want to make multiple trips back and forth from school to her home in St. Petersburg, so dinner is something she brings for her and her son. While she's volunteering, he's in Spanish tutoring or at an track practice.

Mercado is also helping with the school's spring fair. They are trying to find business sponsors to donate items for a silent auction.

"We would like donations from local businesses. Anything like gift certificates, movie or sports tickets, anything that they may want to donate, classroom supplies, food, drinks," Mercado said. "We're a 501-C3 [non-profit], so donations are tax deductible".

The Parent Teacher Enrichment Group (PTEG) is the charter school's equivalent to the Parent Teacher Association or PTA. PTEG funds many of the school's functions, including fifth grade graduation, eighth grade graduation and banquet, Muffins for Mom, sponsoring educational field trips for families in need, Grandparents' Breakfast, the annual picnic, Teacher Appreciation Week and Principal List kids events.

Mercado is a conscientious volunteer and treasurer. The only thing she doesn't count is her total volunteer hours. It far surpasses the school's requirement, which is fine with her.

"I love it. I love the kids. It's fun," Mercado said.

If you would like to donate to Pinellas Preparatory Academy's  PTEG contact them at PTEGVolunteers@PinellasPrep.org or call the school office at (727) 536-3600.