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Sat March 15, 2008

Deer Creek has wonderful week of fundraising

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Students Jordan Lundeen, left, Alex Gaither and Alise Denton watch their teachers perform during a talent competition at a Deer Creek High School Wonderful Week of Fundraising assembly. BY PAUL HELLSTERN, THE OKLAHOMAN
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By Dawn Marks
Staff Writer
Ugly prom dresses. Lip-syncing to Olivia Newton-John. Stand-up comedy. All of these oddities are typical for Deer Creek High School's Wonderful Week of Fundraising — but for the teachers? Yes, of course.



"It's a week of school that everyone joins together and, of course, the teachers want to be part of that,” said Mari Pace, library media specialist.

This week, Deer Creek students and teachers like Pace raised $47,245 for Ally's House, which helps families of children with cancer. Student council sponsor Angie Simonton said this year's goal was $26,000, but each year students try to beat the total of the previous year. Last year, students raised $36,000.

Pace said teachers are always part of the fundraising week and do things to get students excited, like the first Wonderful Week of Fundraising teacher beauty pageant that was held Monday. Contestants exhibited several talents. Science teacher Roger Clement read the "Three Pigs” from the wolf's perspective while showing his chemistry prowess with flammable gases.
Spanish teacher Deanna Roach did a dance routine with other students and played some cow bells, to the apparent delight of the audience.

"Students love it,” Roach said. "It's a way to engage them outside the classroom, and that only helps in the classroom.”

Brooke Phelps, who teaches English, won because she raised the most money, $1,124, by selling T-shirts and having auctions in her classroom. Phelps ribbon-danced to a student drum solo.

"They like the fact that we're human,” she said.

Mari Pace started campaigning early by wearing what she called hideous prom dresses in the days preceding the contest. She wore a pleated red dress for the evening gown portion and recruited Keith Sinor, assistant principal, to play the part of Danny in lip-syncing the song "Summer Nights” from "Grease.” She also convinced Principal Charles Bradley to dress as Elvis and lip-sync "Burning Love.”
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