Winning big with soup
School rakes in a host of supplies, thanks to parent finding out about a sweepstakes
Instead of a set of textbook markers or other classroom supplies typically purchased with a few thousand soup points, Daybreak walked away with 45 new computers, two minivans, iPods, digital cameras, playground equipment and software — among other things.
Teachers had planned on it being tough for a while at the school, which is only in its second year of existence. New schools have difficulty in the beginning getting supplies and materials they need, said Doree Strauss, principal of Daybreak.
She said older schools have built up materials — books, overheads and other learning materials accumulated from years past — since they get money each year for new supplies.
But new schools don't have that built-up stock.
"You do get a start-up budget, but it doesn't cover it all — the soup points gave us a boost that pushed us years ahead," Strauss said.
It all started with parent Angela Miller, who heads up the Campbell's Soup Labels for Education program at the school. She went out hunting for ways to infuse the school's account.
But collecting cans and saving labels can only get you so far when each label is worth only between one and five label points, Strauss said.
Miller happened to run across a sweepstakes contest sponsored by Campbell's and Wal-Mart where people could win millions of points that would go toward their school.
So after making some calls she entered about 30 other moms at the school into the contest multiple times in hopes of improving the odds.
It wasn't long before they heard the good news: nine grand prize winners.
Total winnings translated into 9.1 million points, which rang up to around $100,000.
The catch was that since the awards were in the form of points and not cash, the prizes had to be picked from the Campbell's catalogue.
Strauss said each teacher got to go on a shopping spree for whatever items they thought would best beef up their classrooms. They now have iPod listening labs, digital camera and Photoshop lessons, a state-of-the-art computer lab and outdoor equipment.
But there are a few things school leaders wanted that were not in the Campbell's catalogue that they would need actual money to purchase. So leaders opted to buy two new minivans with their points.
Since the South Jordan school is unable to use the minivans for student transportation, they were auctioned by the Jordan School District. And the proceeds — around $40,000 — went back to Daybreak to buy two new marques for the school.
Since they learned they won last year, Strauss said it has been like Christmas at the school. Boxes and boxes of new educational merchandise trickled in all year.
"It's been huge," Straus said. "They have the things instantly that they need and want and can use in the classroom, and it really shows us what an active PTA and parental support can really do."
As for Miller, she is still looking for more ways to raise funds for the school, and students are still clipping labels, though they have only collected around 15,000 points that way so far this year.
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