Avery Dakin-Clarke wanted to make a difference in the world. Seven months later, after plenty of penny-rolling parties, the 11-year-old has raised $10,000 for a school in Malawi.
"It's amazing," Avery told CBC News on Friday. "It's really uplifting to know that a kid my age would be able to do something like this."
The Grade 6 student at Crichton Park School in Dartmouth, N.S., started the Pennies Against Poverty campaign last fall.
Avery was inspired by teacher Stephanie Abriel, who decided last summer she was going to challenge her students to do good deeds and "pay it forward."
"It took off like crazy in my classroom and my students ran with it. It far exceeded my expectations," Abriel said.
As Avery read Free the Children by Craig Kielburger, who began campaigning against child labour when he was 12, she was shocked that children in Africa don't always get a chance to go to school. That narrowed her focus.
"I just thought, wow, that's insane. It's the base of your career, going to school. You just need it," Avery said.
As the weeks progressed, the money poured in. Several banks accepted donations on Avery's behalf, and one gave $500. Friends, family and strangers from around the city emptied their pockets.
By April, the campaign had raised $5,000. Avery was halfway to her goal.
Though collecting only bills might have been faster, Avery had fun rolling pennies with her friends. Her work parties included cake and juice.
"People say pennies are useless, but they really do add up when you save them," she said.
This week, with 700,000 pennies donated and the rest in bills and cheques, Avery reached her goal. The $10,000 will go to build a classroom for 80 students in Malawi, in east Africa.
'They're not going to forget'
Abriel is impressed with her student's effort, as well as the response from the community.
"It really has affected everyone in such a positive way," Abriel said. "I really believe that people will continue to pay it forward. The students are going to move on, but they're not going to forget about it next year."
Avery wants to keep raising money, this time for books and school supplies. She dreams of one day going to Malawi with UNICEF, a partner on the project.
"They might want to take me," Avery said. "I would really like to see what I built."
She said she has learned many things through her fundraising campaign, but one big lesson stands out.
"I learned that the world isn't a completely terrible place."