Students Raise Money for New Technology Tools at Eason Elementary


Eason Elementary students received a chance to dunk their principal Clint Prohaska into a tank of water as a reward for the money raised during the PTO Fun Run fundraiser. The earnings from the fundraiser will be used to buy new iPads and other engineering materials for the school.

EasonToolTankEason Elementary principal Clint Prohaska talks to students during recess while students were taking turns dunking him in the tank.

“Our students had a large fundraising goal that they were trying to accomplish as a group, and we told them that if they achieve this goal I would do something crazy as a way to reward their hard work,” said Prohaska.

The school’s goal was to raise at least $30,000 or $100 from each of the students. They exceeded their goal by thousands of dollars and their final total ended up being more than $40,000.

The fundraiser, which centered around a run for students on October 6, asked parents and community members to donate money online in support of a grade level race.

The money from the Fun Run fundraiser will be used towards updating and adding technology to the school. Their goal is to have one iPad for every two students. In addition, funds will support the purchase of more books, robotics materials and a Reflector App that allows teachers to display the screen of their iPads on the projector screen.

Rewards were also given to students who participated in the fundraiser. Everyone received a free Fun Run Tshirt, a gift card for local businesses Rita’s and Jimmy’s Egg. Students who reached the $100 goal earned a donation in their name to Waukee Food Pantry, a raffle ticket for a Jimmy’s Egg breakfast trip with principal Prohaska, and attendance to a popsicle dance party. Students who donated $150 received a HyVee donut party with the principal the morning before the dunk tanking took place.

The student with the highest donation from every grade attended a special breakfast with principal Prohaska at Jimmy’s Egg and the class with the most donations received a Casey’s General Store pizza party along with a $30 gift card to target for school supplies. These rewards and the race itself were all paid for by donations from sponsors such as mi-fiber, SSI Specialties, Jimmy’s Egg, Costco, HyVee, Casey’s and Rita’s Italian Ice.

“It is all about students seeing that hard work pays off, experiencing the joy that comes when you accomplish a goal and having a good time with peers and staff atschool. If that means I’m going into the cold water on a40 degree day, then I’m up for the challenge,” said Prohaska, who was plunged into the water at least five times per recess.