Spring Creek Gives Back: Students & Staff Raise $3.6K for Community

Spring Creek Elementary School staff work to instill strong character traits in our students – one of which is giving.

Each month students can bring a dollar or two to school for a local cause, plus a ticket to skip the regular school uniform and dress up to fit a theme. We focus each month on a local organization that supports people or animals in need in our community, and the students help select the cause.

Students and staff are always eager to wear jeans, plus anything else festive. For example, we collected $940 for the Veterans Drop-in Center in November in exchange for wearing jeans and a patriotic shirt for Veterans Day. We wore holiday sweaters in December, which brought in $540 for the Rockford Rescue Mission. Fifth graders hosted penny wars in January to benefit Gigi’s Playhouse; the organization representative was only expecting between $200 and $300 from our fundraiser. Instead, we presented a check for $1,050. On Feb. 22 – 2/22/2022 – students and staff wore tiaras, tutus and tie dye and collected $600 for Miss Carly’s. We have also proudly supported Hoo Haven this school year, and this month we’re supporting PAWS Humane Society of Rockford.

I’m impressed by the stories students share about which organization to support. Every month we set what I think is an ambitious goal, and every month we exceed expectations. So far this school year, students and staff have collected more than $3,600 to give back to community organizations.

It’s satisfying to see the students support a cause and their community, and it’s powerful to watch them notice and appreciate their work. I hope what we’re doing at Spring Creek carries on in our students’ lives and they hold onto that character trait of giving throughout their lives.  

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Ray Owens

Ray Owens is the principal at Spring Creek Elementary School.