RACINE — Boxes of cereal lined the stairs, piled up in classrooms and filled the gym at Red Apple Elementary School, 914 St Patrick St., on Feb. 3 for a world-record cereal box domino attempt.
Students, staff and community members came together to collect over 7,000 boxes of cereal. Their collection efforts will benefit local food pantries and neighbors in need.
The school didn’t just collect and donate the cereal, they also set out to break a world record amidst their generosity.
In 2021, the school collected, made a domino chain and then donated 2,300 boxes of cereal. Within a month, between January and today, the school surpassed its goal of collecting 6,500 boxes of cereal.
All hands on deck
A student’s perspective
Max Perez, a 4th-grade student, was proud of his school’s accomplishment.
“I can help the kids in need that don’t have any food,” says the student. “I’m just really thankful that we’re all able to do this.”
He donated about 50 boxes.
Alderman Coe
“This is what working together is all about,” says Jeff Coe, Alderman of District #1.
Coe isn’t just an Alderman for the City. He is also the grandparent of Kysis Parg and Rilynn Ewing, both students at Red Apple.
He noticed last week the school was at 4,000 boxes collected. To help ensure the student’s met their goal, he got involved in the collection event. People donated anywhere from $500 to $2,000 to him to go shopping for cereal.
“As I say it takes a village to raise the kids. Well, this was a whole community coming together,” says Coe.
The leads
The 2nd annual event is supported by the Red Apple Student Council and Student Leaders, supervised by educators Susanne Kelly-Johnson and Patricia Howard.
“We are a steam school. We talk about the lion, we have the pride that we’re a family. The best part is knowing that the children know that it’s all going to the community,” says Kelly-Johnson
The organizers know that this event is about more than just the collection. It’s about giving.
“The fact that they are providing and helping provide for our community, I think that’s the biggest gift for them. They realize that and they know what we’re doing. Yes, it’s excitement. It’s a challenge. It’s been fun collecting for the month, but the best part is that they know what it’s being used for,” explains Kelly-Johnson.
Love Week intertwines
That’s not the only giving that took place at the event.
Patricia Howard, a lead organizer of the event, was recognized by the Racine Police Department and Hope City Church after the big push. She was the recipient of the Sunshine Award during the inaugural Love Week event.
Read more about why Howard was highlighted in our coverage.
Watch the push
Local schools
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