Students at Salisbury Middle School are participating in Pennies for Patients, a service learning program which helps raise critical funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society throughout the month of February.

An assembly was held Feb. 1 where a representative from Pennies for Patients came to the school, presented the program and provided information about the society.

The mission of LLS is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

LLS is the world’s largest nonprofit fighting blood cancer. Breakthroughs in blood cancer research are now being applied to other kinds of cancers and serious diseases.

The most common cancer in children, adolescents and young adults less than 20 years old is Leukemia. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society makes it their mission to cure the more than 200 forms of blood cancers and improve the lives of patients and their families. They carry this mission out by: investing in research and clinical trials, providing medical support (copays, insurance premiums, and transportation assistance) and providing support and education to patients, family members, caregivers and medical professionals.

Student council is hosting this activity. Meredith Castagna and Kara Bellis are co-advisors.

Students bring pennies into their classrooms each day to fill up a collection box. A running tally is kept for each homeroom and the amount of money they have collected. Then each Friday, the school holds “Penny Wars” where students sabotage the homerooms with the most pennies by placing silver coins or bills into the collection box which makes the penny count go down. Even though that money goes toward the total amount collected, the students must reduce the number of pennies by the silver and bills in the box.

Any pennies count as positive numbers and any other change or bills count as negative numbers. So, students should only place pennies in their advisory bin. Students place any other change or bills into any other advisory teacher’s bin since they will count as negative numbers.

For example, if you have 15 pennies and a student places a quarter in your bin, your advisory will have negative 10 cents.

Students are also raising money online. Those interested in participating in this fundraiser should visit PenniesForPatients.org/find-your-school to find Salisbury Middle School.

One student has set up an online account to raise money independently and has raised $135 and earned prizes including a T-shirt.

On Feb. 20, the school will hold a “Put a Cap on Cancer” hat day event where students pay money to wear hats to school. All money raised will go to the LLS goal.

Parents can drop off money 7:35-7:45 a.m. Friday mornings in the parent drop-off line. Student council members will be there holding collection cans. All proceeds will be added to the LLS goal.

Teachers are also participating by donating money to dress down for the day every Monday.

The fundraiser will end March 1. The classroom with the highest balance will win a pizza party.

According to Castagna, over $400 was raised on the first Penny Wars collection day.

More information on LLS can be found athttp://www.lls.org/content/why-we-need-your-help.