CAMDEN - Students at Camden Rockport Middle School made a lasting impact in April with their generosity during Spirit Week. The annual Penny drive, a tradition at CRMS, saw students rally together to raise the largest donation in the school's history.   The funds raised by the sixth grade class were directed by the sixth grade class, who raised the most, towards PAWS, an organization dedicated to providing shelter, medical care, and love to over 5000+ animals in need each year.  
But the giving didn't stop there. In addition to the impressive monetary donation, CRMS students also collected heaps of food for the local food pantry. The items collected will go a long way in helping to provide much-needed meals to families in the community who are facing food insecurity.   Fun With Pennies:  

The one-cent coin that we call a penny or pennies is 231 years old. It was first minted in 1793.

The Lincoln cent is the current one-cent coin of the U.S. It was adopted in 1909 (which would have been Lincoln's 100th birthday).

There are more one-cent coins produced than any other denomination.

Wikipedia explains it this way, and you can read all about pennies here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_(United_States_coin)#:~:text=The%20coin%20is%200.75%20inches,The%20U.S. 

The coin is 0.75 inches (19.05 mm) in diameter and 0.0598 inches (1.52 mm) in thickness. The current copper-plated zinc cent issued since 1982 weighs 2.5 grams or 0.0882 ounces while the previous 95% copper cent still found in circulation weighed 3.11 grams or, .11 ounces.

$911.57 was the amount donated to PAWS. That’s 91,157 pennies or roughly 512 pounds. I didn’t do the math, but found a program online that converts pennies to pounds. Still, 512 pounds is good enough for any strong man competition.  

On December 14, 2006, the U.S. Department of the Treasury,  criminalized the melting of pennies.

To type the cent sign (¢) on a computer, hold down the Alt key and type 0162 on the number keys with NumLock turned on. Release the Alt key to add the cent symbol to your document.

Zinc, a major component of U.S. cents minted after mid-1982, is toxic in large quantities.

Coins are the most commonly ingested foreign body in children.

The ingestion of pennies minted after 1982, is commonly fatal in dogs where it causes a severe hemolytic anemia.

The spirit of compassion and generosity displayed by the students at CRMS is inspiring. Not only did they support a cause close to their hearts, but they also showed a deep commitment to making a positive impact in their community.

As the school year comes to a close, the students at CRMS can look back on Spirit Week with pride, knowing that they have made a real difference in the lives of others.