Students at Whittier Middle School wrapped up their quarterly service project on Thursday with a record-breaking fundraising total, raising $7,074 to support the City of Norman Animal Welfare through a series of creative, student-led events and service activities.
After raising $1,900 last year, students set a goal of $2,500 for this year’s effort. The fundraiser quickly gained momentum through events like Silver Wars, snow day pledges, snack and drink sales, Valentine’s Day keychain and Crush soda sales, and the crowd-favorite “Tat a Teacher” fundraiser held during Parent-Teacher Conferences.
“Tat a Teacher” allowed students to donate money to place temporary tattoos on teachers, turning the event into a fun competition that helped push the fundraiser to its highest total yet. Students purchased more than 1,162 tattoos during the event. The top three teachers receiving the most tattoos were:
Andrea Kelly - 7th Math: 245
Leighanna Barnes - 7th ELA: 215
Megan Pollock - 7th Science: 152
In addition to fundraising, students supported the animal shelter in other ways throughout the quarter by making decorations for the facility, creating posters of adoptable animals, writing sympathy notes for families who lost pets, and building doghouses for families in need. The school newsletter also featured a weekly “Pup/Purr of the Week” to help encourage adoptions, with several students and families adopting pets as a result.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the support from Whittier and the community,” Norman Animal Welfare Manager Kellee Robertson said. “This fundraiser will help us create a new play space for our dogs, giving them a place to run, play and relax outside of their kennels. Moments like that don’t just improve their quality of life; they help potential adopters see the happy, loving dogs they truly are.”
This year’s total makes the fundraiser the most successful in Whittier Middle School history and reflects the strong commitment students showed to giving back to their community while supporting local animals in need.