The Mycenaean

Leesville Middle and Elementary schools, with the help from the high school, kicked off this year’s Box Top fundraiser at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year.

“There are two official submissions per school year. One in October, and one in March,” Diane Michaud, who is involved in the PTA, said via email. However, families are still encouraged to continue collecting the Box Tops throughout the summer and turn them in the following school year.

“The three schools are working together because it is a win-win-win situation,”said Deanna Winick, also involved in the PTA, via email. By contributing, the high school can help the elementary and middle schools reach their financial goals.

Leesville Elementary School is working to raise enough money for every classroom to have a SmartBoard.

Students from all three schools are asked to donate Box Tops for Education logo labels to the designated location, which is the main office for high schoolers. All collected Box Tops will be distributed equally between the schools.

The Box Top program was designed as a way for community members to donate to schools without having to spend undesired amounts of money.

Box tops can also be donated as eBoxTops. eBoxTops are worth 10 cents, just like regular clipped ones. However, instead of physically cutting out the Box Tops, these can be awarded electronically.

You can earn eBoxTops by shopping through the Box Tops Marketplace or the Box Tops Reading Room. Each participating retailer at the Marketplace and the Reading Room has agreed to donate a certain number of eBoxTops for every qualifying $10 purchase a Box Tops member makes through btfe.com.

When someone donates 25 Box Tops, his/her name will be entered into a raffle to win a $25 gift certificate. The raffle drawings are January 31 and February 29.

According to http://www.boxtops4education.com, each eligible school participating in Box Tops for Education may earn up to, but not more than, $20,000 cash per year (June 1 — May 31) from each of the four separate Box Tops for Education program components – Clip, Marketplace, Reading Room, and My Class Essentials – for a total maximum annual amount of $80,000 per school.

With the money earned from the fundraiser, the elementary and middle schools can purchase a variety of items including new computers or books. In addition, the money can help fund arts and sports programs.

For those who are interested in donating, place Box Tops into a sealed envelope or closed bag with your name, grade, and homeroom teacher. Visit www.boxtops4education.com for eligible products containing the Box Tops for Education logo labels.

Not only are the three schools working together on raising Box Tops, but the middle and elementary schools donated to the high school’s canned food drive. Winick said, “I believe that LES and LMS contributed to the high schools total because we are a big 3 campus family and we all want to help our community when we can.”