It is one of many December charity fundraisers happening in schools throughout Jordan School District during the month of December.
On this episode of the Supercast, find out what drives students to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to help others in need over the holiday season. At Copper Hills High “PAWS for a Cause” helps students give back throughout the entire year. This is their story of having fun while fundraising for a worthy cause.
Audio Transcription
[MUSIC]Sterling Hunt:
It's go, go, go from the time we roll out of bed until late at night.
Evelyn Marler:
For the last couple of years, we've donated $10,000 to Make-A-Wish.
Sterling Hunt:
But you know what, we're doing it to support our community. We're doing it to support the students.
Evelyn Marler:
Around to elementary schools in our district, especially in the Copper Hills community, donating funds from our “PAWS for our Cause” Winter Charities.
Savili Simanu:
And it's just a way for our community and our school to get together too.
Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is one of many December charity fundraisers happening in schools throughout Jordan School District.
On this episode of the Supercast, find out what drives students to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to help others in need over the holiday season. At Copper Hills High, “PAWS for a Cause” helps students give back throughout the entire year. Join us as we travel with them as they award checks to some of our local elementary schools.
Marianne Johansen:
Ladies and gentlemen, students of the Majestic Elementary, please welcome the Copper Hills Student Body Officers.
>> [APPLAUSE]
Rae Garrison:
We’d like to donate $3,500 to your guys' school.
>> [APPLAUSE]
Marianne Johansen:
Is that awesome or is that awesome?
>> [APPLAUSE]
Marianne Johansen:
$3,500 to Majestic Elementary. That is a big round of applause.
>> [APPLAUSE]
Anthony Godfrey:
We're at Majestic Elementary Arts Academy. We're gonna hop on the bus with all the student government officers from Copper Hills High School and talk with them about “PAWS” for a Cause and what they're doing today, giving out money to those schools in the feeder system and beyond who have some needs just for the school to use in whatever way they need the money during this holiday season.
Emily:
Come on board.
Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now with three of the officers from Copper Hills that are on the bus going from school to school to provide this great financial support to schools in our district. Introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about the project.
Zoe Hein:
I'm Zoe Hein and I'm the senior class president.
Savili Simanu:
I'm Savili Simanu, I'm the public relations SBO officer.
Evelyn Marler:
And I'm Evelyn Marler and I'm SBO president and we're going around to elementary schools in our district and especially in the Copper Hills community, donating funds from our “PAWS for a Cause” winter charity.
Anthony Godfrey:
Now for those who don't know, Evie, tell us a little bit about “PAWS for a Cause”. What does that involve?
Evelyn Marler:
Yeah, so it's a charity ran by our student government in our school, Copper Hills. We collect money from our students and just from different charities or from different fundraisers that we do. And we are able to use it throughout that next year to put it right back into our community, providing Christmas and helping with funeral and hospital bills and with people in our community.
Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of the things that are done to raise money? I know there's a ton of creativity in getting people's attention and raising those funds.
Zoe Hein:
One way is we do odd jobs where we go door to door through the month of December and we do chores or simply just get donations.
Anthony Godfrey:
And what are some of the oddest odd jobs that you've heard about people doing? I know there are some interesting things that you get asked to do at homes.
Zoe Hein:
I would say the weirdest one I know is going to the basement to do some laundry.
Anthony Godfrey:
Doing laundry in the basement?
Evelyn Marler:
Yes, I've also wiped some walls.
Anthony Godfrey:
Wiping down walls.
Evelyn Marler:
Yeah, I've wiped some walls.
Anthony Godfrey:
Doing somebody's laundry, you really get to know a person.
Evelyn Marler:
Yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
Did you feel a deeper connection after doing their laundry in the basement there?
Zoe Hein:
Yes.
Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, how about for you? What are some of the things you remember doing as part of odd jobs?
Savili Simanu:
I've heard someone having to fix someone's dishwasher. I've never-
Anthony Godfrey:
Fixing the dishwasher?
Savili Simanu:
Yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
I didn't know the highly technical skills involved in odd jobs.
Savili Simanu:
Yeah, we'll do it. We'll do it for you. We'll figure it out.
Evelyn Marlar:
Base level skills. We do what we can.
Anthony Godfrey:
HFAC technician, whatever it takes.
Savili Simanu:
Yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
Whatever it takes. What does it mean to you to see the response from these students here at Majestic?
Evelyn Marler:
It was super exciting. They seemed really excited. They were super energetic. We were able to go to Majestic first and they had their assembly and the kids were super cute. But it's super awesome to know that we're helping them with the things that they need and they just deserve anything that we can give them.
Anthony Godfrey:
I got to see all those faces lined up there in the gym as they're all lined up watching you guys come in. And what made you want to give the money to schools in the area? What was the decision-making process there?
Zoe Hein:
Discussions, and we had a lot of meetings about how we would spend the money. And we realized this was a need for our community.
Anthony Godfrey:
That's what I love about these fundraisers is that you're so thoughtful and intentional about making sure that you're really talking about where you want that money to go. And that's a big part of the fundraising that you do is making sure that people understand the impact that money will have. What are some things that you have in store this year? I know that that kicks off just after the winter break. So what's scheduled for this year's “PAWS for a Cause”?
Evelyn Marler:
Well, first up we've got our Paws for a Cause assembly just on December 3rd, ran by Zoe, our senior class president. So she's got a lot of things in store there.
Anthony Godfrey:
Any spoilers there that you can give us? No, we got a bus full of people, you can't tell.
Zoe Hein:
[LAUGH] Well, we have just our performances, we have ballroom performing, Madrigals. And we have our 505, we try to raise $500 in five minutes to kickstart the “PAWS for a Cause”.
Anthony Godfrey:
500 in 5, that's awesome. Is that a tradition? Is that something you've done before?
Zoe Hein:
Tradition.
Evelyn Marler:
Yep.
Anthony Godfrey:
And are you able to get there most of the time in five minutes?
Evelyn Marler:
Yeah, it ends up working pretty well. I mean, sometimes the funds go down for the rest of the day because people empty their pockets, but it's okay. We get our goal for that day.
Anthony Godfrey:
Do people come prepared with mad stacks of cash?
Evelyn Marler:
Yeah, I feel like it's a lot of coins too.
Anthony Godfrey:
A lot of coins, okay. Well, as long as you get to $500, however you get there. So after you launch, what are some of the other activities that you have planned?
Savili Simanu::
We have school activities like the Muffin Man. He'll go around each classroom and-
Anthony Godfrey:
The Muffin Man.
Savili Simanu:
Yeah, and he'll-
Anthony Godfrey:
Do you know the Muffin Man?
Savili Simanu:
Yeah, I do. He lives on Grizzly Way.
Zoe Hein:
On Grizzly Way, yes.
Anthony Godfrey:
Yes, very good. What does the Muffin Man do?
Savili Simanu:
He'll come to each class and you can buy a muffin for $1.50. And yeah, and then there's Grizzly Got Talent, where anyone can sign up and show their talent for the school and our after-school activity. So there's just so many things like spirit nights where we can all spend money there. And we'll all go partially to the business we work with and to ”PAWS for a Cause”.
Anthony Godfrey:
So the spirit nights are where you partner with a restaurant.
Savili Simanu:
Yeah, we've partnered with Costa Vida.
Anthony Godfrey:
Okay.
Savili Simanu:
Yeah, a lot of places.
Anthony Godfrey:
And so they've partnered with profits from that night when people go eat there, go to “PAWS for a Cause”.
Savili Simanu:
Yes, and it's just a way for our community and our school to get together too, so.
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I love the partnerships that you create. It's really activating the community and pulling them into it because it's just another example of how you can't do it alone. You just need to make sure you connect with people and help them understand.
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, we've talked our way to Columbia Elementary. The bus just stopped and we've got a couple of dozen student government officers here ready to give out another check. It's really exciting to see this and it's a great way to kick off this fundraising season.
Student:
So we are some cheerleaders in the mascots from Copper Hills High School. I'm the student body officer, vice president. This is the president right here. But today we decided to do something special for your school. So we do this winter charity event called “PAWS for a Cause” where we just get back to the community. And this year we decided to donate $3,500 to your school for just really any of the needs that you guys need.
>> [APPLAUSE]
Keith Klein:
First of all, we can always use money. And I have four things that just popped into my head that we can use this money for. We're super excited and super thankful, grateful, and surprised. So thank you so much for coming across Bangerter and helping us out. That's awesome.
Evelyn Marler:
Glad to help.
Keith Klein:
Thank you.
Evelyn Marler:
Thank you guys.
>> [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC]
Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back we'll hear madrigals from Copper Hills High School performing some holiday favorites.
Never miss an episode of the Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.
[MUSIC]Break:
Are you looking for a job right now? Looking to work in a fun and supportive environment with great pay and a rewarding career? Jordan School District is hiring. We're currently filling full and part-time positions. You can work and make a difference in young lives and education as a classroom assistant or a substitute teacher. Apply to work in one of our school cafeterias where our lunch staff serves up big smiles with great food every day. We're also looking to hire custodians and bus drivers. In Jordan School District we like to say people come for the job and enjoy the adventure. Apply today at employment.jordandistrict.org
Anthony Godfrey:
What are you most looking forward to for “PAWS for a Cause” this year?
Evelyn Marler:
I'm most looking forward to, I really enjoyed our Make a Wish. We donated, for the last couple of years, we've donated $10,000 to Make a Wish. And we get to have a kid assigned to us that we get to grant their wish. It's really awesome to meet them, get to know them, and help them with something that they really want, they really deserve.
Anthony Godfrey:
So it becomes really personal to make that direct connection. It's not abstract, there's a kid you get to know.
Evelyn Marler:
Yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
That's awesome. How about for you?
Savili Simanu:
I would say the same, the Make a Wish. Our public relations officer, we keep in contact with them. And it's a way, I think we have a girl this year, and it's a way we can help accomplish her wish.
Anthony Godfrey:
Do you know what her wish is?
Savili Simanu:
She wants to go to Japan, but yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, cool.
Savili Simanu:
It should be fun.
Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.
Zoe Hein:
I think mine would be Sub for a Santa, where we get to go shopping personally and pick out, it could be coats or shoes, but for kids in our community.
Anthony Godfrey:
Wonderful, a lot of great things happening. Thank you for making this possible and for focusing on our schools. As someone who works with the schools, I know how big the need is. So it makes a huge impact. And to see you guys there, it's a great example to these elementary students. So you have, now I was there with you at Majestic Elementary Arts Academy for stop number one. How many more schools are we going through today?
Evelyn Marler:
We've got nine more today, so.
Anthony Godfrey:
You've got a full bus of people who have been very quiet for this interview.
Evelyn Marler:
Yeah, we've got our whole student government crew here along with cheerleaders.
Anthony Godfrey:
Cheerleaders, mascots, you've got the whole gang.
Evelyn Marler:
The whole gang.
Anthony Godfrey:
Plus some key staff from the high school–
Evelyn Marler:
Principal Garrison and Hunt, yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
–from the high school faculty at Copper Hills, our principal. Let's talk with Principal Garrison here. Tell us a little bit about what this means to you as a school leader to see students stepping up like this.
Rae Garrison:
I'm amazed. Last year was my first year at Copper Hills and I was blown away with the amount of work the students put into this from start to finish. And then also a piece I really like is that it is year-round. It's a year-round effort. The students hear about needs in our community and we're able to tap into the funds raised to help our own community. So I thought that was really cool to see not only money going to charities like Make-A-Wish, but also being able to respond to more immediate needs. And it just so happened that this year we had some funds left, so we thought it might be really cool to kick things off by going and supporting our feeder elementary schools who might not have the same opportunity to fundraise the way these high school kids are able to do. But I tell you, they work their tails off to get the funds.
Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, it's a ton of work. You can see it in their eyes, the lack of sleep by the end of December when they've been working so hard. We've got Emily at the helm driving us from school to school. Let's throw the mic over the seat there after she takes this left-hand turn. Emily, what does it feel like to get to be a part of this and get him from school to school for such an important day?
Emily:
No, it's really cool. It's fun to be a part of it and I always love, anytime there's anything going on in the schools, I love to be a part of it. But to see these kids giving away and hearing what they've done all year just to keep this up is pretty remarkable and I feel special to be here.
Anthony Godfrey:
From an assistant principal point of view, Sterling, what does it look like in December at Copper Hills High School?
Sterling Hunt:
It's go, go, go from the time we roll out of bed until late at night. And so it's, but we're doing it to support our community. We're doing it to support the students. There's never a boring day at Copper Hills High. I mean, here it is Monday morning and I'm riding around town on a bus, giving away what, $35,000 to deserving schools. It's awesome.
Anthony Godfrey:
It's a beautiful day. Well, thank you everybody for what you're doing to make this possible. Thank you guys for talking with me. Good luck for this “PAWS for a Cause”. I know it's a lot of time and effort, but obviously worth it and such a big impact. So thank you very much.
Evelyn Marler:
Glad to help.
Savili Simanu:
Thank you.
Copper Hills Madrigals singing “Winter Wonderland”
Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you'll do today. Have a great break. We'll see you out there.