Saint Paul Lutheran School wins 'Cents for Central School' Challenge

St. Paul Lutheran School, 18 S. School St., Mount Prospect raised $939.49 in donations of quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies and a few dollar bills to put toward finishing the restoration of the 1896 one-room schoolhouse on the Mount Prospect Historical Society campus in downtown Mount Prospect.

"Central School has played such a large part in the history of St. Paul Lutheran Church and School that we are delighted to join in the effort to preserve this important piece of Mount Prospect history," said Jennifer Heinze, principal of Saint Paul Lutheran School.

"Generosity is one of the core values here at Saint Paul, so we are proud of the students and staff who are so happy to give generously for a great cause."

The society had issued a challenge to local schools earlier this fall and six schools, as well as the public library and several village departments and even one business - Millie's Hallmark, 1024 S. Elmhurst Road - chose to get involved.

The challenge was to raise funds to complete the restoration of the 1896 one-room Central School through the collection of the spare change we all have lying around our houses, cars and lockers. Large plastic containers were distributed to the participating schools, library and other locations and students and members of the public were encouraged to drop off that change throughout the month of October.

The cumbersome jugs were picked up from the schools on Thursday, Nov. 5, and Village Bank & Trust, 320 E. Northwest Highway, generously provided counting services free.

Once the mammoth job of counting was complete, it was determined that the schoolchildren of these six schools had together raised a grand total of $3,580.45 to help complete the historic schoolhouse's restoration.

The school-by-school results were as follows: Saint Paul Lutheran School came in first by raising $939.49. Lions Park School came in second, raising $864.12, followed by Indian Grove School in third with $804.64, Fairview School in fourth with $749.71, Prospect High School in fifth with $122.33 and Lincoln Middle School in sixth with $100.16.

"We are so grateful to all of the students who brought in generous contributions and to the teachers and staff members at the various schools who worked very hard to make the fundraising effort a fun and educational endeavor," said Linda Hoefert, co-chairman of the campaign. "This will truly help move the restoration effort on the Central School forward toward the finish line."

Students from the winning school - Saint Paul - will be allowed to sign their names on paneling that will be preserved within the walls of Central School as a time capsule for the future. The winning school will also earn an MPTV-televised proclamation from Mayor Arlene Juracek and the village board on Tuesday, Nov. 17, and prior to the ceremony, they will get the opportunity to tour the still-under-renovation historic schoolhouse. The framed proclamation they receive will probably be hung in the school for years to come as a testament to the school's leadership role in the community.

Collection jugs staged at public sites throughout the village, particularly at the library, village hall and Millie's Hallmark, will remain in place until the end of 2015.

"Mount Prospect will celebrate its 100th birthday on February 3, 2017, and the Mount Prospect Historical Society hopes to re-enact the signing of the village's papers of incorporation in the historic building where it actually took place a century ago. In order for that to happen and for the schoolhouse to be opened for school field trips and public gatherings, the restoration needs to be completed," explained Jill Friedrichs, co-chairman of the campaign with Hoefert.

"Since the Mount Prospect Historical Society began its adventure in 2003, the society has raised - and expended - $370,000, almost entirely from private, local sources," explained Frank Corry, Mount Prospect Historical Society president. "We have completed the move of the building, interior demolition, repair/replacement of the back wall and roof, structural reinforcement of the floor, construction of an interior utility stairway and installation of the electrical, HVAC, fire alarm and sprinkler systems. It has been an exciting project and we are almost to our ultimate goal of restoring this iconic remnant of Mount Prospect's past."

Schools in Mount Prospect will be offered a second opportunity to raise funds for the schoolhouse restoration effort in the spring of 2016. Money during that phase of the campaign, called "Finish the Job," can be raised in any way that the members of each school community choose. Ideas offered include carwashes, walkathons, encouraging students to do chores and contribute their earnings, rummage sales, a Fun Fair booth or, for parochial schools, an out-of-uniform day.

Students from the winning school in the spring will have the honor of marching in the Mount Prospect Fourth of July parade alongside the Mount Prospect Historical Society's replica schoolhouse float. They will carry a banner announcing that they were the winners of the "Finish the Job" challenge.

"We hope that even more schools choose to participate in the spring," said Julie Vowinkel, a member of the fundraising committee.

For information about the Central School restoration, phone the Mount Prospect Historical Society at (847) 392-9006.

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