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<p>ROSS TOWNSHIP &#8212; When Principal Heather Wertman issued her challenge for the month of December, asking students at Ross Elementary School to bring in donations for Shriners Hospitals for Children, kids came up with several strategies.</p><p>&#8220;Every day I brought a bag of change from the top of the fridge,&#8221; 9-year-old Robbie Wilson explained.</p><p>&#8220;Every night I&#8217;d ask my mother if she could give me some money,&#8221; said 11-year-old Lisa Doughton.</p><p>&#8220;I bought in money from my allowance,&#8221; said 11-year-old Katelyn Guenthner, adding that &#8220;a lot of vacuuming&#8221; and other chores figured into what she earned.</p><p>With quarters and dimes and dollars coming from all sides, the student body of almost 200 youngsters raised close to $2,000.</p><p>On Thursday afternoon they presented the exact amount &#8212; $1,934.08 &#8212; to Irem Shriner Rich Polish of Dunmore and Irem Potentate Thomas Aycock of West Pittston.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s absolutely amazing,&#8221; Polish said.</p><p>&#8220;That kind of money, from 200 kids,&#8221; Aycock added.</p><p>&#8220;I was just blown away,&#8221; the principal told the students during a school assembly. &#8220;I am so very proud of all of you.&#8221;</p><p>Polish said he&#8217;s been a Shriner for 25 years and has never before seen &#8220;a donation this large, from children rather than adults.&#8221;</p><p>The money will help children who need medical care for orthopedic issues, burns, spinal problems and cleft palates, the Shriners told the students.</p><p>The students have seen videos of young patients who have received care at Shriners Hospitals for Children and sympathize with kids their age who have needed surgery or, in some cases, received prosthetic limbs that allow them to ride bicycles, dance or participate in sports.</p><p>&#8220;I think that would make them feel better,&#8221; 11-year-old Katelyn Guenthner said. &#8220;More confident to do stuff.&#8221;</p><p>The first graders contributed more than any other class in the school, Wertman said, and she rewarded them by serving popcorn and sitting down with them to watch the movie &#8220;Abominable,&#8221; about a Yeti trying to reach his snowy home.</p><p>Every month Wertman issues a new challenge, the students said, explaining it might involve something like being quiet, cleaning up after lunch or collaborating as a class to design a decoration for the classroom door.</p><p>The December challenge, involving the Shriners Hospitals for Children, has been his favorite challenge so far, 9-year old Michael Badman said.</p><p>&#8220;It went along with my Christmas wish,&#8221; he said. &#8220;For everybody to be happy.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Ross Elementary first graders who sat down front during Thurday afternoon&#8217;s school assembly included Bryn Jarmot, Landon Isbel, Cedric Miller and Mia Kyttle. Out of all the classes in the school, Mrs. Janna Kaboski&#8217;s first graders raised the most money for Shriners Hospitals for Children. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_kids1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Ross Elementary first graders who sat down front during Thurday afternoon&#8217;s school assembly included Bryn Jarmot, Landon Isbel, Cedric Miller and Mia Kyttle. Out of all the classes in the school, Mrs. Janna Kaboski&#8217;s first graders raised the most money for Shriners Hospitals for Children. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_kids2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Irem Shriner Rich Polish and Irem Shrine Potentate Thomas Aycock accepted the donation from representatives of each class at Ross Elementary School on Thursday afternoon. Principal Heather Wertman is standing at left, while students Lila Doughton and Katelyn Guenthner, both 11, hold the representation of the check. Other students representing their grades include Robbie Wilson, Ava Walsh, Carson Guenthner, Gabrielle Heinrich and Michael Badman. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_kids2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Irem Shriner Rich Polish and Irem Shrine Potentate Thomas Aycock accepted the donation from representatives of each class at Ross Elementary School on Thursday afternoon. Principal Heather Wertman is standing at left, while students Lila Doughton and Katelyn Guenthner, both 11, hold the representation of the check. Other students representing their grades include Robbie Wilson, Ava Walsh, Carson Guenthner, Gabrielle Heinrich and Michael Badman. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_kids3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">First grade student Abriana Pockevich points to a chart that shows her class donated the most to the fund drive, which was the Principal&#8217;s Challenge for December. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_kids3.jpg</photo2><caption2>First grade student Abriana Pockevich points to a chart that shows her class donated the most to the fund drive, which was the Principal&#8217;s Challenge for December. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_kids4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Ross Elementary students listen attentively as their princiapl thanks them for their generosity to a recent collection that will benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_kids4.jpg</photo3><caption3>Ross Elementary students listen attentively as their princiapl thanks them for their generosity to a recent collection that will benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>$1,934.08 collected by small school &#8216;absolutely amazing&#8217;</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mary Therese Biebel</p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Ross Elementary students make donation to Shriners Hospitals