Fairfield Area High School musical

(2/26) Each year, students at the Fairfield Area High School raise money for charity. This year, the school changed the format for raising money and saw their collection skyrocket.

"Our goal was to raise $6,800 and we made $5,800, which I think is great," said Carrie Ruppert, a Fairfield senior who was part of the team that raised the most money.

Each team was composed of four students who could be from any grade. Originally, there were eight teams but two dropped out because of the time required to participate. Ruppert’s team, the Conquistadors, raised $1,914.

All of the money raised will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant wishes of children with serious illnesses in Adams County. The $6,800 goal would have been enough to two wishes, which is why the amount was chosen.

Fund raising was only part of the Charity Bowl competition. Students also competed against each other in performing skits , making banners and poster, participating in pep rallies and other activities.

"We try to do something fun to get the school involved," Ruppert said.

Among the fundraisers that the Conquistadors did was a bake sale at the Jubilee supermarket and setting up the game Rock Band in the school cafeteria during lunch for kids to play who made a donation to charity.

This was the first year for the Charity Bowl and the results, according to Ruppert are significantly better than the old format called the Charity Ball. With the Charity Ball, students were selected by teachers who were then expected to raise money for a charity in order to secure their position on something similar to a homecoming court.

"I was upset that I was being given this job to do [fundraising] that I didn’t ask to do," said Ruppert. "But I wound up really liking it, though I think the Charity Bowl is a better way to do it."

The culminating event of Charity Bowl was a formal dance where the winning team was announced. It was held on Feb. 18.

Charity Bowl Teams

• Ninja Squirrels: Mallory Heller, Jed Reese, Matt Strausbaugh and Katie Boutin
• The Sith Lords: Billy Leaman, Stephen Lewis, Brian Kirkland and Kenny Peck
• Conquistadors: Keene Kelderman, Lexi Hanks, Carrie Ruppert and Josh Heaney
• Team Oz: Louesa Piatek, Sam Clarke, Erin Donaldson and Cara Yocum
• The Peanuts: Deanna Durbin, Sam Biser, Julia Bolin and Kelli Grubb
• BAMM: McKenzie Plovock, Mackenzie Sanders, Abbie Smith and Brittany Hummel

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