TRUCKEE, Calif. – Students at Alder Creek Middle School turned small change into big impact, raising $1,710.31 in just 10 days to support victims of the recent Los Angeles fires. The fundraiser, Coins for a Cause, was organized by the school’s sixth-grade Gifted and Talented Education (G.A.T.E.) students, who initially set out to raise $500 for the Red Cross. Their effort quickly gained momentum, far exceeding expectations.

Pam Hamilton, the sixth-grade G.A.T.E. humanities teacher, said the idea started when her students came to class the day after the fires, deeply affected and eager to help. “They were talking about how tragic it was and asking, ‘What can we do?'” Hamilton said. After researching the best ways to support relief efforts, they decided that donating funds would be the most effective approach.

“It was so heartwarming to just witness the coming together of the students and their school community to support such a noble cause,” Hamilton said. 

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The students took charge of the fundraiser, visiting classrooms to explain the initiative, handing out Ziploc bags for collections, and spreading the word through posters and school announcements. Their enthusiasm quickly spread, turning the effort into a friendly school-wide competition.

“Their enthusiasm was infectious,” Hamilton said. “It just circulated through the school.”

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They chose to collect coins instead of cash, believing it would be an easy and accessible way for everyone to contribute. “Sometimes there’s coins in couches, and you find them on the ground and in your car,” Hamilton said. “They thought coins would be more appropriate because it was so simple and so easy to find.”

By the end of the fundraiser, students realized they had collected far more than their initial goal. “They looked at me and said, ‘Mrs. Hamilton, I think we have a lot more than $500,'” Hamilton said. After sorting through the donations, she and her husband spent three hours counting the coins—ultimately discovering the total had reached over $1,700.

Hamilton emphasized that while the G.A.T.E. students led the initiative, the entire school contributed. “It was a community effort. The eighth graders, the seventh graders—they all had such a big hand in this,” she said.

Beyond the impressive total raised, Hamilton said she was most proud of her students’ generosity and drive. “Sometimes middle schoolers get a bad rap for being self-absorbed,” she said. “But this proves they are generous, kind, and thoughtful. They really do think beyond themselves.”

Zoe Meyer is a reporter for the Sierra Sun, a sister publication for Tahoe Daily Tribune. She can be reached at zmeyer@sierrasun.com.