Fund-raising is a part of youth soccer. Travel expenses for tournaments, team equipment, end of season parties, etc. So I figured I’d share this interesting fund-raiser that my kids are doing at school. It’s competitive with a twist of, well, revenge. It feels wrong, but it is genius and I had never heard of it before (which isn’t saying much – it may be the best thing since sliced bread!)

Our school’s computer lab got zapped by lightning (*cough* Don’t Use Cheap Surge Suppressors! *cough*) so they need to raise some money to replace them. The class that raises the most money gets prizes, fame, fortune, and a free ice cream bar at lunch or something. So here’s how it works. Each class has two fund-raising jars. The first one is simple – you can only put pennies in it and the class gets a point for each penny. The second jar is where it gets evil. This jar is for silver money only. The catch is a class LOSES points for any silver money that is put into their jar. Anybody can put silver money into anybody else’s jar.

So, cue scene at our breakfast table this morning:

Eldest: Dad, I need some pennies for our fund-raiser at school.

Dad: OK – I’ve got some and you’ve got a few stashed away.

Eldest: Do you have any quarters? If we donate silver money to other classes they LOSE points. How cool is that?!?!?! I want to ‘silver bomb’ XXXX’s class and YYYY’s and especially the principals’ office. They have jars too!

(Dad silently hopes the NSA bugs aren’t too sensitive that morning. Silver Bomb?!?!)

Dad: Well, you don’t have that much silver money lying around.

Eldest: Can I earn some? I’ll rake leaves, clean up the yard, wash the dogs, anything! I’ve got so many classes I want to hit with silver money. I’ll do ANYthing.

(Dad silently wonders how many additional chores he can get done for each nickel)

I expect this conversation happened at a number of tables this week. They keep a running score for each room and the principals’ office. You can guess who is getting hit with the most silver. This is so devious because the kids want to get revenge on kids or classes who hit their jar with silver. It’s genius. I bet this turns into a rather successful fund-raiser. My only worry is when some kid dumps a roll of quarters in some other class’ jar and gets the snot beat out of him on the playground. It could happen.

Not saying it would work anywhere, but it was so wild I had to share. I guess our elementary school isn’t so bad after all and has a little spunk and ingenuity. Not quite as much as others, but not bad!