A math lesson at Silver Creek Elementary has turned into a fundraising initiative that’s gaining momentum throughout Hope.
Catina Carpenter’s kindergarten class started collecting pop tabs in January to help children with spina bifida.
“I thought it would be good way for these guys to do a community project, but also incorporate their math (skills) using counting of the pop tabs and weighing of the pop tabs,” she said.
The project reinforces one of the kindergarden curriculum outcomes, Carpenter added, which is helping students learn they are “part of a school community, family community and a town.”
The entire school quickly got behind the project and soon donations were pouring in from every classroom. In the last six months, a total of 29,830 tabs have been collected.
C.E. Barry Intermediate School students Alexa Wyatt and Sarah Isbister are now running a similar pop tab initiative at their school to help children with spina bifida. Pop tabs can be dropped at the C.E. Barry office until June 28.
Both collections will be presented to the Chilliwack Kiwanis Club, who will then pass it on to the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of B.C. this summer.
The high grade aluminum used to make pop tabs can be sold and the money used to help offset the costs of expensive wheelchairs and leg braces.