MBE students ‘glow’ to raise funds for lunchroom improvements

The 2019 Mountain Brook Elementary Boosterthon Glow Run capped off a week of character education and fundraising, as the MBE community came together to raise funds for a comprehensive lunchroom enhancement project at the school.

MBE parent volunteers Shannon Cooley and Cami Myers coordinated this year’s Boosterthon event. They also planned the celebrations that marked the school community’s success in meeting and exceeding its $50,000 fundraising goal. MBE students received pledges and support from 29 states and five countries (Australia, Germany, Nicaragua, United Kingdom and the United States), with nearly 90 percent of MBE students participating in the fundraising project. Notably, more than half of this year’s donors were non-MBE parents, showing continued community support for MBE and its students.  

“This year’s theme was all about the sciences,” Cooley shared. “Within this theme, our kids got to learn specific lessons about citizenship, zest, growth mindset, integrity, and teamwork.”  Myers said, “Our sixth-graders had a design contest for the artwork featured on the back of this year’s Boosterthon t-shirt. The collaborative work of students Lily Close, Jassie Lin and Ann Monroe Jackson made for an incredible t-shirt and creative decorations.”  As Cooley observed, “It was a blast running and dancing with the kids, parents, and grandparents at the Glow Run. The excitement and sense of community and school pride was thrilling and inspiring.”

To commemorate a successful fundraising event, MBE parents, volunteers, faculty and staff transformed the gym into a science lab for a day-long celebration. Students enjoyed science fun together, making slime, jumping rope on large pools of oobleck and learning about the chemical processes of dry ice.

The top overall class in fundraising was Mrs. Kim Hall’s third-grade class, and they celebrated with a pizza and ice cream party. The top two student fundraisers in each grade enjoyed a special field trip to the McWane Center with MBE Principal Ashley McCombs and Assistant Principal Brannon Aaron.

Cooley and Myers concluded, “All of our thanks to our Boosterthon team and the families in our community who have helped and participated in this amazing fundraiser. Be on the lookout for some awesome improvements in the lunchroom!”

Submitted by Kitty Rogers Brown