It’s not just about the penny; it’s about the strategy and raising money for a good cause. The South Tama’s fourth-grade class has held its yearly “penny war” to raise money for the STC Community Food Pantry. Over $1,500 has been raised by the fourth grade class in just the past few years.

Each classroom goes to battle with each other, filling milk jugs with coins and bills trying to accumulate the most pennies. Strategy and planning play a part in the fourth graders’ war, as any bills or silver coins dropped into the milk jugs are counted against the penny total. In the spirit of competition, a student of one classroom, for example, may drop a nickel into another classroom’s jug, taking that classroom’s penny total down by five, but raising the overall donation total by five cents.

Donations quickly add up as the students work to fill the jugs with money.

“Our students have earned over $900 a couple of times. This year was $590.17. Last year was $509.52. The 2023 total was $501.64,” Fourth Grade Teacher Amy Parizek said.

With nearly six hundred dollars raised this year, the war has concluded, and the profits taken to the pantry. Who knows how much will be raised in next year’s fourth-grade penny war?