VALDOSTA – Scintilla Charter Academy recently concluded a kindness-focused fundraising campaign called Raise Craze. 

During the fundraiser, scholars show their appreciation to donors by completing acts of kindness for others, school officials said in a statement. At the end of the three-week campaign, the school community completed nearly 900 acts of kindness and raised $15,569.

2020 marks Scintilla’s fourth year hosting Raise Craze. 

“This fundraiser truly brings out the best in everyone. Small acts of kindness span from the classroom, to home and throughout our community,” said Ansley Panizzi, Scintilla Charter Academy PTO president. 

Students did everything from picking up trash in public parking lots to making “thank you” bracelets for nurses at the hospital.

In addition to individual acts of kindness, Scintilla Charter Academy’s PTO partnered with The Crayon Initiative, a nonprofit organization that collects discarded crayons from restaurants, schools and homes across the country, then melts them down and remanufactures them, reducing waste. 

“When searching for a national campaign to involve our scholars, we fell in love with the idea behind The Crayon Initiative and their mission to recycling crayons and redistributing to art programs at children’s hospitals across the U.S.,” Panizzi said. 

Scintilla students collected 86 pounds of crayons. 

“We all have a box of used crayons at home. This organization was an easy choice to involve everyone for a great cause,” she said.

SCA also focused on two local organizations in its kindness campaign. Students elected to make donations to SCA’S Little Free Pantry and the Children’s Advocacy Center’s Snack Closet. 

Jennifer Denham, director of communications, said, “Raise Craze encourages scholars to look beyond themselves and we are so proud of how these small acts of kindness promote positivity not only within our school, but also in our community.”

More than a half-million pounds of crayons are discarded each year, turning into a waxy, non-biodegradable sludge that clogs the nation’s landfills. 

For more information on The Crayon Initiative and Scintilla Charter Academy, visit http://thecrayoninitiative.org and https://scintillacharteracademy.com.