Plainfield Middle School Ranks Third for St. Jude Fundraising

Submitted by Plainfield School District 202

John F. Kennedy Middle School once again was the third highest fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for 2014-2015.

The school raised $67,979 for the Memphis, Tennessee hospital through the Math-A-Thon fundraiser, in which students solve math problems for pledges.

More than 7,000 schools participated in the program last year.

JFK is ranked third out of 100 schools nationwide behind only the University School of Jackson ($76,811) in Jackson, Tennessee, and Garden City Middle School ($71,725) in Garden City, New York.

JFK has been ranked third in fundraising for about three years, said 7th grade math teacher Lisa Ballard.

Ballard said the school has really embraced the Math-A-Thon. “It’s just become part of our community here,” she said.

While the school hasn’t broken into the Top 2 on the St. Jude list – yet – it has routinely shattered its fundraising goal of $25,000 each year.

JFK has raised more than $271,000 since starting the program in 2007, Ballard said.

This school year’s Math-A-Thon kicks off in early December with donations being accepted through the end of January 2016.

“Giving back is a core belief that we teach our students to help them understand that there is a bigger responsibility we as human beings have toward each other,” JFK Principal A.J. Hundal said.