Getting Silly for a Cause (Actually Two)

Pupils at chanted, "Face! Face! Face!" as their peers grabbed their canisters of Silly String Wednesday morning and took aim—at their principals.

Dousing Principal Robert Kleinhans and Assistant Principal Shelley Bose with the stuff was the reward a first grade and a kindergarten class received for raising the most money during the school's Spirit Week.

And for Lisa Black's son, Parker, the prize was worth all the change and dollar bills collected for the Washington Area Humane Society and

"His eyes got big and he got a huge smile on his face (when he found out his class won)," she said.

Before the principals sat down and got sprayed, though, Kleinhans introduced representatives from each nonproft, who explained how the money the kids collected would be used.

"You guys should be so proud of yourselves," Kleinhans told the pupils. "Those pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters and dollar bills added up to a whole lot of money."

How much exactly? Each organization received a check for $1,173.

And the kids couldn't be more excited, Kleinhans said.

"They've been coming in all morning telling me that they were gonna get me," he said with a smile, adding that he preferred the Silly String to last year's whipped cream dousing. "It took me three or four washes to get it out."

Editor's Note: The annual event is coordinated by Cecil Elementary's Parent Faculty Organization, and its board, which is composed of: Barb Bolla, president; Jen Swearman and Kathy Helbling, co-vice presidents; Lisa Black, secretary; and Becky Price, treasurer. Kudos also to Shannon Mizenko for handmaking the over-sized checks used at the assembly!