Education Indian Bend Elementary Collects 32,000+ Bottles of Water to Benefit a Local Nonprofit
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ith the temperatures rising, many community organizations need support and donations to provide water to those in need. For several years, Sarah Tokosh, a paraeducator at Indian Bend Elementary School, has spearheaded a bottled water drive to give to a local charity. “Water is an important necessity in Arizona,” Tokosh says. “With summer temperatures expected above 110 degrees, water is needed for survival on the streets.” Before school closed for the summer, staff and students at Indian Bend Elementary School collected 32,338 bottles of water that were donated to Never Alone, inc., a local nonprofit that provides outreach to the homeless. Giovanni Contreras, a fifth-grade student, collected an impressive 1,240 bottles. The United Parent Council, Realty ONE, and EPIQ Lending donated 12,000 bottles and 100 umbrellas for those in need as well. “In a year where not a lot of student events are happening, it is nice to see our students roll up their sleeves and get excited to get behind such a great cause,” says Principal Jan Stevens. “I am truly proud of the way our school came together to provide such a great service to our community. Go Thunderbirds!”
Mercury Mine Elementary Wins $20,000 Box Top Extra Credit Sweepstakes
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atalie Taylor, a Montessori preschool teacher and parent at Mercury Mine Elementary School, won $20,000 for the school in the Box Tops Extra Credit Sweepstakes. “At first, I didn’t believe it. I thought it was a gimmick,” she shares. “After the money showed up in our student council balance, and I had principal Donna Alley confirm it, I was absolutely shocked and excited.” Taylor had collected under $10 of box tops at the time of entering the sweepstakes. She had to submit the Box Tops digital receipts between a segment of dates using the Box Tops for Education app.
“Keep collecting and submitting [Box Top] entries because you never know what will happen.” Box Top for Education Program provides extra money for schools nationwide to use on supplies, technology, and other items. Principal Alley shares that, since the switch to digital Box Top collecting has been hard for parents and students to transition to, maybe the sweepstakes is a way to incentivize the move to digital. “Mercury Mine is very grateful and will work harder to educate parents about the new digital process [for Box Tops],” she adds.
Mercury Mine Elementary School will use the funds on STEM resources for the school such as robotics, engineering materials, and more. These items will be available for students when they come back after summer break. “STEM supplies are exciting and will be used by all of the students,” says Principal Alley about how the funds are being spent. Taylor’s advice for other schools to use in the future: myhyperlocalnews.com
NORTH 32ND NEWS • June/July 2021 • 11
