Chewing gum in class pays off at McKinley

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Neighbors | Submitted.Fifth-grade students at Poland McKinley Elementary School raised money for charities by purchasing gumballs throughout the school year. Teacher Nancy Moon installed a gumball machine in her class and sold gum to students before class and during study halls.

A Poland McKinley Elementary School teacher let her students chew gum for a cause.

Fifth-grade teacher Nancy Moon wanted to raise money for charities and people in need, so she purchased a gum ball machine and allowed her students to buy gum before class and during study halls. The idea of being allowed to chew gum in class appealed to students and the gum balls sold fast.

During the Christmas season, the three classes sent gum ball profits to the family of Paige Neville because she needed surgery to correct a foot problem.

Afterward, gum ball sales continued and the money grew again.

The classes looked at a variety of charities and decided to donate money to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Moon discovered an article about soldiers at war and the students spent the last of the money to pay for the postage to send soldiers some items.

In an interview by fifth-grade student Jordan Downie, Logan Kountz from a neighboring homeroom said that she thought using the money from the gum ball machine for charity was a very good idea.

Kountz said her class sent gifts to soldiers Brian Getz and Christine Fix. She said her cousin, Getz, wears the shirt they sent and ate the beef jerky in “three seconds.”

Jake Minehart from Moon’s homeroom told Downie he liked being able to buy and chew gum, even though he had to spit it out when he left the classroom. The student also liked sending money to Haiti.

Mineheart flew over to Haiti in January on his way to the Dominican Republic and said he could see trash and remains of houses.

Moon believes her students may be young, but that they can make a difference. After the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the class watched footage of the leaking pipe and the polluted water and marshes on the coast. The students wrote to Congressman Tim Ryan and the 75 letters were mailed.