Fourth graders at Cheatham Hill Elementary declared a ‘Penny War’ on cancer during the last month of March with a fundraising drive to benefit the American Cancer Association’s Relay for Life. Each morning, each of the eight fourth grade classrooms participated in a fun competition, bringing in pennies to support their brigade and “attacking” other classes with silver coins and paper money. Classes earned points for pennies (one penny = one point) but lost points when “attacked” with silver and/or paper money (a nickel = loss of five points, a dime = loss of ten points, etc).

Fourth grade teachers (the ‘generals’) also utilize strategies to have students deposit money into their buckets.  Strategies and tactics encourage students to donate money to Relay for Life.

The Cheatham Hill “Penny Wars” began in 2005, when fourth grade teacher Linda Black brought the concept from her previous school. Each year since, the school has raised more than $2,000 for cancer research.