It took just over three weeks but students at Spring Valley Elementary in Junction City raised over $3,000 dollars for Pennies for Patients, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

The fundraiser began on February 3rd and as an incentive for the students Tim Stuck, Student Support Monitor, promised to shave his head if the students raised over $1,500, thinking the students wouldn’t be able to reach that goal. Shortly there after Kenny Upham, a Fourth Grade Teacher along with Paden Town, Music Teacher and Brian Forster, P.E. Teacher joined in and raised the goal to $2,500, also thinking the goal was unreachable.

But they were in for a surprise, because on Tuesday that goal was not only matched but the students went over and beyond the goal raising $3,000.22. So on Thursday before the students were sent home for a three day weekend each teacher kept their promise and had their heads shaved.

“I was excited because we knew it was for a good cause, and we knew the kids would enjoy it and have a lot of fun,” Stuck said. “We were looking forward to it actually.”

Throughout the fundraiser Forster said that he didn’t really keep track of how much the students raised because they did that for him.

“They were letting me know everyday how much they had and how much closer we were to getting my head shaved,” Forster said.

Whether this will become a yearly tradition or not, is yet to be determined.

“It’s whatever the kids want to do. If they want to try and do the Pennies for Patients again or if it’s a different fundraiser and they want to use this as an incentive again then I’m all for it,” Town said.