$10 note challenge raises over $10,000

Media Release - For immediate release

CHRISTCHURCH

$10 Note Challenge raises over $10,000
St Margaret's College students raise $10k for charity

Year 10 students at St Margaret's College turned a $10 challenge into just over $10,000 support for local charities as part of the school's Rite Journey programme. Each Year 10 student at St Margaret's College was given a $10 note in Term One with the challenge to raise as much money as possible for charities during Term 2, with the expectation that they had to be as creative as possible to gradually increase their money.

The idea was to make a small profit and then reinvest that money to buy more ingredients or products to raise more funds, paying for all expenses incurred along the way out of their money. Some, like Maddie Dewe, made almost $500 selling and taking orders for her legendary homemade Rocky Road and Russian Fudge. Others had great learning experiences while losing their $10 when their projects didn't work.

Loveday Mossman-Catchpole, who raised almost $300, had trays of cupcakes ready for door to door sale in her neighbourhood when "a downpour prompted me to put a notice on the online community notice board. The cupcakes sold out quickly and we delivered them in the car by the boxful, with orders pouring in". Samantha Capon raised over $250 selling muffins with what Year 10 Dean Lisa Williams describes as "an awesome, consistent effort".

"I really enjoyed meeting all the people" said Libby Millar, who made $100 profit from selling lolly mixtures at her brothers sports games over the course of three weekends. Olivia Hubber was also taking orders once sales of her home made cheese rolls took off. Some of the students sold internally with Kate Hamilton making a great profit selling chocolates in the boarding house, while others like Lucy O'Connor sold products at the local markets.

Mia Gamble was away on a school exchange in Australia when the challenge started. When asked about her latecomer success raising money from the sale of candy floss she put it down to "the amazing profit margin from converting sugar to candy floss". No mention of the sticky mess in Mum's laundry here!

Each class selected their own charity to donate their money to, and there was a class competition which was decided by the best average amount raised per student. The following charities were selected by the various classes and will receive the amount raised by that class: Diabetes Christchurch, SPCA, Kidscan, World Vision NZ - 40 hour famine refugees, Blind Foundation - Guide Dogs, Christchurch Hospital - Children's Ward, and the Child Cancer Foundation.

Head of Middle School, Kathryn Gray, said "Once again I am immensely proud of our girls. These girls leapt at the chance to complete this challenge, as they do with all challenges that come their way. Developing citizenship and awareness of others is a skill essential in this technological world. To be able to raise this amount of money to give to charities is going to make a difference for a number of others. These young women had no teacher assistance and had to show initiative, passion and commitment to make the most money they could from a mere $10. A phenomenal effort."

Photo credits: St Margaret's College
Photo captions:

St Margaret's College girls presenting a cheque for $1,287.60 to Lynne Taylor, Manager of Diabetes Christchurch
Alex Hitchmough receives a giant cheque for $1511.80 for World Vision.
St Margaret's College students presenting the cheque to Lydia Hemingway from the Child Cancer Foundation

ENDS

www.stmargarets.school.nz
For more information please contact
Kathryn Gray, Head of Middle School, 021 271 1119
Lisa Williams, Year 10 Dean, 027 286 9939