Every student has been asked to sell his or her fair share of magazine subscriptions, cookie dough, doughnuts and any other number of fundraising items.

However, students in this county are also doing their part in fundraisers to give back. Students at White Plains Elementary School take community service to heart in their participation in Jump Rope for Heart, United Fund of Surry, Relay for Life, Friends Feeding Friends, St. Judes Math-a-thon and Christmas assistance programs.

“Last year, being the principal of this school for the first time, it was amazing to me the outreach at this school,” said Principal Sandra Scott. “Even though this is a time of economic crisis in our community, the school and community have pulled together to provide resources for all these groups.”

Teachers and staff members work throughout the year in participating in these causes themselves and in motivating the students to do so as well.

“You just ask them and they’ll do it,” said Greg Quesinberry, custodian and co-captain for Relay for Life, of getting everyone involved, including the community and parents. “If you get the kids started, the parents will back them 100 percent.”

During last year’s Friends Feeding Friends food drive campaign, White Plains Elementary was one of the two schools in the county that collected the most cans. Because of that, the State Employees Credit Union donated half of its can collection to the school. This addition of cans made White Plains Elementary the highest collecting school in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia with more than 7,500 pounds of food collected.

“Friends Feeding Friends around the holidays is much needed,” said Kathy Flippen, a custodian at the school and co-captain of the Relay for Life team. “With the economy like it is, it’s tough. There’s an urgency to help and teach the kids to help one another.”

In order to help motivate the students to participate in the canned food drive, the school comes up with small incentives along the way. They encourage classrooms to count the ounces of food brought in and the highest collecting classroom would get a pizza party. They also have a food drive dance during the students’ special areas time during the day if they bring in enough cans.

“The kids like to see how much they are accumulating. The dance is probably one of the main motivators,” said Janice Powell, hearing impaired specialist at the school. “They’ve always enjoyed being about to use the check outs at Lowes Foods for the kick off.”

“We’re giving food for people that don’t have enough money to buy food,” said Brock Heck, third grader.

Last year, the school’s Relay for Life team, headed up by Quesinberry and fellow custodian Kathy Flippen, raised $4,356 for cancer research.

“One of the main reasons everyone’s involved in it is it’s hit home,” said Flippen. “Last year we were the number one school, but it’s not about the rewards, it’s not how much money we raise. It’s about raising the money to find a cure. When it hits home, you want to do all you can to help find a cure.”

“There are people who are affected just about everywhere you look at this school,” said Quesinberry. “We’re hoping the next dollar we raise will be the one that finds the cure.”

One of the ideas that put the school’s Relay for Life campaign over the top last year was a commode decorated to “Flush Cancer.” The toilet was placed outside of classrooms and teachers had to give a donation to get it removed. Teachers could also buy potty insurance to make sure it did not appear outside their doors.

The school also participates in the United Fund of Surry campaign through the teachers and staff members. There has been some discussion about allowing students to make contributions as well but there is no final decision on that. Last year, the school raised $1,200 for the cause.

“We try to get the teachers excited about giving money and giving to these local agencies,” said Powell. “Usually they’re just really excited to help.”

Through the school’s Christmas assistance program, it provided goods for Christmas to more than 60 children last year.

“That’s our community. You call them and they’ll be here,” said Grayson Moser, school counselor. “It’s a family feeling here. The people want to help. If it’s for a good cause, they’ll do it.”

“Whenever there’s a need, it’s readily addressed, whether it’s individual teachers or a team of folks or the entire community working together,” said Scott. “It’s important that we teach the students early on it’s not all about them. They have to be interdependent. By taking care of others, we take care of ourselves.”

Students also take part in the Math-a-thon for St. Judes Children’s Hospital, a favorite activity for them. They get sponsors who support them for completing math problems in a work book. The school raised $453 last year.

Jump Rope for Heart is also a popular cause when students raise money for the American Heart Association by jumping rope. Last year, the school raised $1,074.66 for the cause.

“I like Jump Rope for Heart better,” said Brenda Cabrera, fifth grader. “It’s good to get involved in stuff because other people might not have what we have.”

“I think it’s important that we should do that, because if we do that, it could help other people get food and stuff so they don’t starve,” said Cheney Card, fourth grader. “My favorite is Jump Rope for Heart because I like to jump rope.”

“It does my heart good to get these students involved in helping their fellow man. It puts a face on these diseases and maladies,” said Mel Alexander, physical education teacher who heads up Jump Rope for Heart at the school.

Contact Morgan Wall at mwall@mtairynews.com or 719-1929.