The Pennies for Patients assembly at Colonel John Siegfried Elementary School, Northampton, took on the feel of both a pep rally and sell-out concert. More than 900 students attended the May 27 event, which funds research, treatment and programs by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for children afflicted with blood cancer.

The centerpiece of the event was the amount of money the children and staff collected for the Lehigh Valley-based society. A drum roll filled the gym as Student Council members, holding large cards, flipped their signs. One by one, they revealed a grand total, $14,074.23 - the highest amount of money ever raised for the school’s annual program.

The amount donated this year more than doubled the amount of donations raised during last year’s event. What makes this even more incredible is that last year the school had a larger student body. Beginning with the 2015-16 school year, sixth-grade students are now part of the middle school.

Tens of thousands of pennies, dollars and checks of varying figures were donated both in person and through online donations.

Not only did the elementary school, which houses kindergarten through fifth-grade students, break its own record, it also was the top school in 13 counties across Northeast Pennsylvania that participated in the campaign.

Program coordinators Anne Bauder and Amanda Danenhower announced the totals each grade collected. A pizza party was scheduled for the grade that contributed the most. And prizes were awarded for winners of a blood cancer trivia contest played before the student body.

A huge round of applause sounded when it was announced fifth-grader Hannah Edelman, recently diagnosed with leukemia, is now cancer free.

To close the program, Principal Carol Cunningham sang Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger,” with the entire student body singing along.