Change for Change Donates to Four Charities

Westchester Country Day School students made an impact on four charitable organizations by collecting thousands of dollars in loose change during the school’s Change for Change coin drive.

Change for Change is an annual project that inspires students in grades pre-K through 12 to collect loose change for the purpose of making a positive impact within service-minded organizations. Students collected and counted change throughout the past month, and the total was announced during an assembly on March 22.

Westchester students collected more than 4,000 quarters, 4,500 dimes, 2,800 nickels and 10,000 pennies along with many dollar bills for a total of $4,720.50 raised. The school rounded up to commit $4,800, making this a record total for the Change for Change project.

The organizations receiving this year’s donations were selected by students and are the Epilepsy Alliance, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Best Friends Animal Society and Ocean Conservancy. Representatives from the organizations attended the assembly or shared video messages to accept the donations and share gratitude with the students.

The Change for Change project helps us teach students to open their eyes to the needs that are around them, while developing compassion, empathy and responsibility in the process. We hope the students learn that if everyone gives just a little bit of change, it can add up to a whole lot collectively, which will then directly impact an organization. I was absolutely floored by the grand total, which is the most in the history of this annual coin drive. I am so impressed by the generosity of our students and families in coming together to serve others. -- Mrs. Blair Hawley, Head of Lower School

The project began in February when students researched causes and wrote nominations on behalf of the organizations they wanted to support. Eight groups of students were selected to speak on behalf of their nomination, and a school-wide vote determined four finalists to receive the proceeds. Throughout the month as change was collected, students competed to see which grade levels could bring in the most change.

Change for Change is an annual project of Westchester’s C.A.R.E.S. Crews program, which pairs younger and older students together multiple times a year on projects that show compassion, awareness, responsibility, empathy and service to others. The project raises awareness for organizations doing important work in the local community and throughout the world and provides a practical connection between service and critical skills in public speaking, math, social studies, and language arts while encouraging students from different grade levels to work together.