February 26, 2026
We’re excited to share that Sawtooth Student Council is holding a Coin War fundraiser to support Make‑A‑Wish® Minnesota! This is a fun, friendly competition where students compete with other classes to collect coins (and bills) to help grant wishes for children with critical illnesses.
Sawtooth Mountain Elementary’s February theme is Zaagi’idiwin(Love) and we have been focusing on how we can show we care for others at school, at home, in our community, and in the broader world. Make‑A‑Wish Minnesota was chosen because they create life‑changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, giving them hope, strength, and joy. Last year 242 wishes were granted in Minnesota!
For 1st-5th grades, each class is a team. (Both classes of Kindergarten are a team. Both preschool classes are a team.) Students bring spare change and bills to deposit in their team’s collection bucket.Bills, pennies, nickels, and quarters add to a team’s total, but the twist is that dimes SUBTRACT from opponents’ totals (encourages strategic giving). The team with the greatest positive amount and the team with the greatest total amount (positive and negative) will win money towards a prize of the teams’ choosing. As a school, we are working towards a goal of $500.
We will be holding our Coin War for the rest of this week and will be turning in our donations on Friday, February 27th. Grand Marais State Bank has kindly offered to help us turn in our donations to Make-A-Wish Minnesota (and they will accept our pennies)!
We hope that the Coin War is a way for our students to learn about community service, empathy, and the impact of working together. It is also a sneaky way to motivate our students to practice their math skills!
If you have any questions, contact Ms. Barras, Sawtooth Student Council Advisor (abarras@isd166.org).
Miigwech! Thank you!
Student Council and Ms. Barras
Sawtooth Mountain Elementary’s February theme is Zaagi’idiwin(Love) and we have been focusing on how we can show we care for others at school, at home, in our community, and in the broader world. Make‑A‑Wish Minnesota was chosen because they create life‑changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, giving them hope, strength, and joy. Last year 242 wishes were granted in Minnesota!
For 1st-5th grades, each class is a team. (Both classes of Kindergarten are a team. Both preschool classes are a team.) Students bring spare change and bills to deposit in their team’s collection bucket.Bills, pennies, nickels, and quarters add to a team’s total, but the twist is that dimes SUBTRACT from opponents’ totals (encourages strategic giving). The team with the greatest positive amount and the team with the greatest total amount (positive and negative) will win money towards a prize of the teams’ choosing. As a school, we are working towards a goal of $500.
We will be holding our Coin War for the rest of this week and will be turning in our donations on Friday, February 27th. Grand Marais State Bank has kindly offered to help us turn in our donations to Make-A-Wish Minnesota (and they will accept our pennies)!
We hope that the Coin War is a way for our students to learn about community service, empathy, and the impact of working together. It is also a sneaky way to motivate our students to practice their math skills!
If you have any questions, contact Ms. Barras, Sawtooth Student Council Advisor (abarras@isd166.org).
Miigwech! Thank you!
Student Council and Ms. Barras