Bower Hill Student Takes Box Tops to New Level

Anyone who has had any connection at all with the kindergarten program at Bower Hill Elementary School has been touched by the "bucket program," where students are encouraged to fill their "bucket" with kindness and positive words to others.

As the school moved forward this year with their "Box Tops for Education" program, one student in Mrs. Chris Brogna's class managed to take the "bucket" program to an entire new level, by filling a bucket with more than 7,000 box tops, which will ultimately help the entire school with supplies to be used in the classrooms.

Brendan McCullough, son of Gary and Dawn McCullough, credited his grandmother, Linda Mange, with helping him pull together what may be a record number of box tops by a single student.

Last year, the "Box Tops for Education" effort at Bower Hill earned $7,300 in supplies for the school. Brendan's collections alone will result in about $700 in earnings for this year.

The box tops program is coordinated through the Bower Hill Elementary PTA, and its president, Robin Ferrari, who says the success would not be possible without full cooperation of parents, students and staff.

"I am really proud of our success and it can be attributed to the unending support of our principal, Kelly Gustafson, and the parents of Bower Hill," she said.

Ferrari said she assumed the role of Box Top Coordinator more than three years ago.

 "The PTA was looking for a coordinator and I thought it would be a great opportunity for me because I work full time outside the home, and I can't volunteer during the school day," Ferrari said.

"It's really a fun and easy way for the students to be involved and to be successful."

Ferrari said the school at one time had been averaging about $1,300 a year in box top earnings and the program was revitalized by adding events, such as prize drawings. The PTA sponsors monthly drawings and drawings at evening events, such as Family Game Night and Family Fun and Fitness.

As a result, Bower Hill Elementary ranks among the top ten schools in Pennsylvania out of about 5,500 schools. She said that Bower Hill should receive its first check from the box tops program that will be approximately $4,400.

In the past, items purchased for the school by Mrs. Gustafson have included props for the annual class play, LEGOs and board games for indoor recess, walkie-talkies for recess monitors, vinyl badges for field trips, library books, films, educational DVDs and other educational supplies not covered in the annual budget.

Ferrari said she has attended Box Top University for the past two years. The annual seminar is sponsored by "Box Tops for Education," and is for building coordinators.

In addition to "Box Tops for Education," Bower Hill Elementary also participates in the PTA-sponsored Giant Eagle Apples for Students and Target Take Charge of Education.

"These are easy ways to help the school," Ferrari said.

She invites any parent group who wants more information to contact her at 724-941-6175. For more information about the school's events and announcements, visit their website.