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John Mills PTA there for those little extras
Excited John Mills Elementary School students get in a limousine outside of their school. The students were rewarded with a limousine ride and free lunch for raising the most money through Market Day for the school. | David Pollard~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: December 16, 2012 6:27AM
ELMWOOD PARK — At John Mills Elementary School, paying for extracurricular and educational activities outside the classroom is often hard to do.
John Mills Principal Peter Herbert said there is only so much money in the school’s budget, and that is for necessities.
“If more wants to be done, then it comes from an outside source,” Herbert said.
That’s where John Mills’ Parent Teacher Association comes in.
“There’s only so much the school can do,” he said. “The PTA, they give them the extra things. The school couldn’t give students a new book on their birthday, ice cream socials and educational assemblies.”
The JMPTA, with the help of students attending the school at 2824 N. 76th Ave, raises money to pay for these activities. Recently, they raised about $11,000 by selling items through Market Day, a fundraising organization.
On Friday, students who sold 30 or more items could ride in a limousine, and students who sold 45 or more items could bring a friend along for the ride. The limo took them all out for lunch. The two black stretch limousines pulled in front of the school the morning of Nov. 9 with the 22 lucky students yelling with excitement and running toward them.
JMPTA Vice President Gail Fang said the students work hard and that this is their reward.
“They did a dynamite job,” she said.
Most of the money raised goes toward paying for extracurricular activities, such as musical performances, assemblies and cultural enrichment activities, sometimes costing up to $1,000.
“Usually the curriculum is tied to the activities,” she said.
But Fang said it’s all about adding to the students’ educational experience.
“Everything goes back to the kids,” she said.
