MAY GREENE GOES EXTRA MILE WITH PENNIES

May Greene elementary students discovered Monday that they went the extra mile in a two-month drive to collect a mile's worth of pennies.

The students learned the results of the penny drive Monday during a school assembly. Teachers announced that students had exceeded their goal of 84,480 pennies -- the amount needed to measure a mile -- by nearly a tenth of a mile by collecting 93,680 pennies.

The drive began in February as a math exercise for first-graders, but it quickly spread schoolwide and then communitywide. Students learned facts about the penny and math skills such as counting, sorting, measuring and estimation during the project, but first-grade teacher Theresa Burke said students also learned much more.

"They learned language skills by writing thank-you letters to people sending money in," Burke said. "They also learned social skills like cooperation, following directions and getting along."

First-grade teacher Mary Ann Lewis said the community response to the project was overwhelming. Bus drivers, classes from other schools and even people from Gordonville donated to the effort, she said, and their response taught the children about the value of helping others.

"They really learned a lot about caring for other people and setting and achieving goals," said Lewis. "One couple came in twice to donate, and the second time the students remembered they needed to send them another thank-you card because they had donated twice. It really stood out to them that they were helping others."

Myon Garmon, 7, said he enjoyed the penny drive because he liked counting by twos, but even more so because the money went to the American Heart Association. "I gave 50 cents," he said. "It was fun. It feels good because you're giving it away."

Seven-year-old Casey Garcia said she had planned to use her $6.70 donation to buy her parents an anniversary gift, but she was glad she gave her money to the effort. "I didn't really want to give my money away; I just helped," she said. "I wanted to buy my mom an anniversary present, but it made me kind of proud to bring my pennies in."

Lewis said the donation was given to the American Heart Association because the project started in February, which was American Heart Association month, and because the organization focuses on the same major organ as the school.

"We thought we'd give it to them because they're about hearts, and that goes along with our motto," she said. "Basically, we gave to the American Heart Association because May Greene's motto is ~~'We're the school with a heart.'"