Hopwood, GES earn money to boost kids programs

Magic money. That is how students from Hopwood Junior High School considered the box tops they were collecting from General Mills products. So, after four months of vigorously encouraging their fellow students to submit as many box tops as they can, Hopwood students emerged victorious in earning for their school $1,823.50 in funds which they will use to buy computers.

How did they do it? Beth Nepaial, Hopwood’s acting vice-principal, shared this secret: “Fun is the key word. Members of our National Honor Society sponsored a contest that offered free lunch and a trip to the movies to the class that turned in the highest box tops collection. I believe that the kids also badgered their parents to buy the right General Mills products and they cut the box tops off themselves.”

From November 2003 until March 31 this year, Hopwood students were constantly reminded of their goal through messages posted on the school’s daily bulletin. The biggest reminder came in the form of a box tops banner provided by General Mills and Cosmos Distributing, the local company in-charge of overseeing the Box Tops for Education program. Nepaial said the Box Tops displays centrally located at some of the island’s supermarket were also good reminders for shoppers to purchase General Mills box tops products.

Hopwood is upping the ante in box tops collection this coming school year by offering a $20 reward to the student or staff member who presents the most box tops on August 6th, the first Friday of the new school year.

Originally, Hopwood was able to raise $323.50 in total box tops collection. Cosmos Distributing gave a $1,000 incentive to Hopwood for getting the highest box tops redeemed and another $500 incentive for having the highest box tops redemption per student. Cosmos also gave away $250 incentive to Garapan Elementary School, which turned in the second highest box tops collection, and a special award incentive to St. Joseph’s Academy on Tinian.

For Nepaial and Hopwood’s students, teachers and members of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association, it is essential for them to continue supporting the Box Tops program. “The Box Tops Program gives us magic money, almost like it falls from the tree. Without this program, we would go without very important things which our students need,” said Nepaial.

Hopwood intends to buy computers for their math department to support an individualized and computer-based math assessment and curriculum program.

Adopting a fundraising strategy similar to that of Hopwood’s also proved effective for second placer Garapan Elementary School (GES). “Aside from winning pencils, erasers and other school materials for the class that collects the most box tops per month, our students also know that the class which turns in the highest grand total wins a trip to Pacific Islands Club,” said Garapan Elementary’s Vice-Principal Rachel Teregeyo.

For Garapan Elementary, the success of the Box Tops program is overwhelmingly dependent on the classroom teachers. “Their motivation and dedication towards the program reminds the students daily that every single box tops counts! That motivation can really make a difference during each and every trip to the store,” said Teregeyo

The success GES has achieved in earning money that will go to the purchase of much needed PE equipment is an incentive enough for the school’s staff and students to carry on their participation in the Box Tops for Education program.

Aside from continuing to give monthly incentives, GES is now working on preparing students to continue collecting box tops over the summer break. “Once they see the new PE equipment waiting for them when they return in August, we hope to have a school full of Box Tops collectors,” said Teregeyo.

General Mills and Cosmos Distributing have given away more than $6,000 to 22 schools that have participated in the local Box Tops for Education program since its introduction to CNMI schools in August 2003.