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It¡¯s called ¡°Coins for a Cause.¡± Four times a year students at the Harrison Avenue Elementary School in South Glens Falls, N.Y., scour for loose change to bring to school for this fundraising tradition.

¡°Our ¡®Coins for a Cause¡¯ program is exciting not only because we¡¯re raising money, but also because it teaches our students to be caring, compassionate citizens,¡± says Alissa Bevivino, student council sponsor.

For each of the four fundraising coin drives, members of the fifth-grade student council are encouraged to campaign for a cause they feel is important to support.

During the week of Jan. 31, 2011, the students collected $680 in coins and chose to honor their beloved former principal, Jim Baker, by donating to MD Anderson¡¯s lymphoma research.

Kids support search for a cure

In 2008, Baker was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma and began treatment at MD Anderson. The students¡¯ donation supports research led by Baker¡¯s physician, Larry Kwak, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma at MD Anderson.

¡°Receiving this donation from the students at Harrison Avenue Elementary School is such an honor,¡± Kwak says. ¡°Their dedication to supporting my research and paying tribute to their principal is truly humbling.¡±

Mantle cell lymphoma is a challenging form of cancer, but Baker remains optimistic that the research his former students are helping fund will someday lead to a cure.

¡°My hope for the future is in the hands of researchers such as Dr. Kwak,¡± Baker says. ¡°And it¡¯s quite a big deal for kids to do what they did. It takes a lot of heart and a lot of caring. It¡¯s absolutely wonderful.¡±

The Harrison Avenue Elementary staff shares that pride.

¡°Fundraising allows our students to be good students and good citizens,¡± Bevivino says. ¡°Hopefully those values will stay with them throughout their lives as they think back about how wonderful it felt to be able to donate.¡±