Students raise funds to make principal eat bugs

Teachers like to say they would do anything for their students.

At Panther Valley Elementary School, they’re demonstrating just how far they’re willing to take that pledge.

On Monday, Principal Robert Palazzo ate bugs, while gym teacher Fritz Herling had his head shaved by a group of students.

It was a reward for their latest fundraiser to help build a playground at the school. Students raised $5,000 by just bringing in spare change.

“The kids were very motivated to see us raise and meet the goal, to earn the different incentives, and also it’s going to go toward the playground, so I think it definitely meant a lot to them,” Palazzo said.

The change drive has become an annual tradition at Panther Valley Elementary. Usually, the money is used to help purchase books that the students donate to other schools or local Head Start groups.

This year, with fundraising for a new playground in full swing, they decided to keep it local and raise the goal — to $5,000 from $3,500.

Palazzo put out the challenge that he would eat crickets and worms.

He avoided live critters and decided on a dried, flavored variety. The crickets were bacon or salt and vinegar flavored, and the worm was barbecue.

“The salt and vinegar cricket, that was pretty delicious,” he said. “The bacon and cheese cricket, that one was not very good. I don’t think it had enough flavoring.”

But Herling decided they needed more motivation. For the last day of the fundraiser, he issued a challenge. If the students beat it, he would let them shave his head and goatee. Palazzo said he didn’t think the offer was legitimate because Herling is set to be married in a couple of months.

“I was hesitant to let him do it, but he insisted. Thankfully, his fiancee went along with it. That definitely motivated the kids more to bring in money on that last day,” Palazzo said.

They could not have completed the fundraiser without their loyal volunteer Bertha Shreffler, who counted the change daily and provided totals so the classes could keep it competitive.

Shreffler counted $360 worth of pennies on one day of the competition, Palazzo said.

Tori Koerbler’s third grade class won the challenge.

“The change drive really gets them excited and motivated. We announce who’s in the lead each day. We can do incentives like pizza parties and things like that, so they have a couple chances to win,” Palazzo said.

With the success of the change drive, the school has less than $3,000 to go to make its playground a reality. While students and teachers have contributed a significant stake, a large portion of the funding for the project came in the form of a $15,000 grant from KaBoom and the Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

The final fundraiser will be the sale of commemorative bricks which will be placed outside the playground when it’s completed. For more information on that fundraiser, contact the school.

“We’re looking forward to that fundraiser and seeing hopefully a lot of community members get involved in this project and being remembered for helping us build the playground,” Palazzo said.