Fundraising for Veterans by St Joan of Arc Students

Chocolates, sweets, tricks and treats. Halloween was, as always, a child’s delight. The students at St. Joan of Arc School in Evanston celebrated with candy and costumes, of course, but they also participated in a pumpkin contest for a cause. More than fifty students ranging in age from Junior Kindergarten through eighth grade submitted their decorated or carved pumpkins to the first annual Great Pumpkin Contest. Students and staff were invited to vote with pennies for their favorite design. Two winners were selected from each of three grade groups. After all the coins were counted, the school had collected 6400 pennies.

What to do with the $64 obtained via voting? Donate the money to one of the school’s service learning initiatives. The overall winner with the highest number of votes was third grader Louis Hebson, who painted his pumpkin to resemble a Minion. Because the third grade’s service learning initiative is supporting U.S. veterans, the pumpkin contest earnings will be donated to Operation Support Our Troops-America, a Naperville not-for-profit whose mission it is to provide comfort and care to active military, families and veterans. Also among the Great Pumpkin Contest winners was Junior Kindergartener Jack Fitzgerald. “I have never seen him so thrilled,” said Jack’s mom Maura Fitzgerald. She continued, “I am so happy that at St. Joan they teach our children it’s fun to give back to the community.”