$70,000 goal is reached!

A third grade classroom has been saved from being cut. By the last day of the 2023-24 school year, the goal to raise $70,000 for the Save a Classroom project in Thief River Falls had been reached. Courtney Skjerven, teacher at Challenger Elementary School, reported that the $70,196 had been raised. He added that when the Domino’s fundraiser check comes this coming week, the total will be $72,388. To get over the top, Skjerven said they received a generous donation of $5,000 from Cenex Harvest States, and another $1,000 from a retired district administrator. “We are beyond grateful, and so impressed by the efforts of our students, staff and community. We have saved a third grade classroom from being cut,” said Skjerven. Fundraising efforts are continuing until the students and organizers sell all of their mugs and fulfill their commitments. What will they do with the dollars raised beyond the $70,000 goal? Skjerven said, according to the Minnesota IRS representative they contacted, the project has to pay 6.875% sales tax on every dollar raised by selling merchandise beyond $20,000. He also said they will use all extra dollars raised to buy more supplies, such as engravables and 3D filament for the tech program and that will allow them to continue to create products to sell to help students, schools, and the community with specific purposes. He said they will also purchase necessary replacement parts and other technologies to keep their tools running smoothly. “Our engraver and filtration system has been running non-stop for three months, and we want it to last for a very long time.” He said the Education Foundation has been great, but now the classroom has the ability to generate some of its own funds. With these extra funds and investments, Skjerven said there are opportunities based on the connections they have made to continue to put kids in authentic learning situations that motivate them to succeed and make a difference. “We do not want to stop because these skills and mindsets can last a lifetime.”