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Monterey students help principal reach new heights

Principal to sleep overnight on roof as incentive for school fundraiser

The principal of Monterey Middle School is going to “new heights” to help the student-led fundraiser for a pair of new outdoor ping pong tables.

By hitting their target of $5,000 by Halloween, the students, families, teachers and surrounding community confirmed that principal Ken Andrews will tent overnight on the roof of the school before the winter break.

The money is going towards the purchase of a pair of outdoor all-weather ping pong tables, similar to what the City of Victoria installed at the redesigned Humboldt Plaza last year.

READ ALSO: Ping pong part of Victoria’s Humboldt Street Plaza

Grade 8 leadership student Beatrice Sharpe believes the ping pong tables are a great idea, especially during COVID.

“Mr. Andrews is always encouraging us to go to great heights so it’s very suitable that he’s offered to go up on the roof,” Sharpe said. “[The ping pong tables] can be used safely, we can sanitize the paddles, and I think it’s a great idea that other students will enjoy playing.”

Sharpe is interested in designing a ladder that players can move up, and even entertaining a class battle.

Her teammate on the Monterey Student Spirit Council, Max Seiterle, found a way to raise money through his new-found passion of casting cement molds. He designed a fist-sized skull ahead of Halloween and sold 90 orders. He still has to fulfill 30 orders, as he hand mixes each batch of cement.

“My parents paid for all the materials so all the money goes to the fundraiser, so that’s $900,” said Seiterle.

“The skull project is all Max, at recess he’d be off running around the school to pick up and deliver orders,” Sharpe said.

In recent years Monterey has raised funds for new swing sets, a gaga ball court, and a playground climber.

“This would be something that’s ‘middle’ school fun,” Andrews said. “Middle school kids aren’t too old for swings. We have kids on the swing set, on the gaga ball court, and on the climber.”

READ MORE: Monterey students go gaga for gaga ball court

READ MORE: Monterey installs playground climber to kids’ delight

The fundraiser will close soon but not without two more goals. If $6,500 is raised by Nov. 11, Andrews will sleep in his woolly mammoth onesie suit (although he’s thinking he’ll need it for warmth anyways) and if $8,000 is raised by Nov. 30, Andrews will give out freezies to all students the morning after.

Andrews has slept on the roof once before for a fundraiser but it predates this generation of students.

“Last time it was a bit stormy so I’m hoping to pick a calmer night,” Andrews said. “There is nowhere to peg the tent down. I was using shotput balls and other heavy items I brought up to weight down the tent.”

He also had students and teachers checking in.

“Some kids didn’t believe I was doing it, they visited the school and yelled up to the tent and I didn’t come out. So they were phoning me [at 7 p.m.] to say, ‘We don’t believe you’re there, and I said, ‘That’s true, because I’m still at home having dinner with my family.’”

reporter@oakbaynews.com


 

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