Like most days, students roared during lunchtime on Thursday atMamie Martin Elementary School. However, the loud cries of joy hadnothing to do with corndog nuggets, chicken tenders or juiceboxes.

The afternoon’s recipe for fun consisted of flour, baby shampoo,food coloring, water, green Jell-O and three schooladministrators.

In a friendly competition between the boys and girls, studentsbrought in change from home for one week in September. The moneythey raised, which was measured in pounds, was recently donated toSt. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

“Whoever brought the most change (boys or girls) won,” saidDanita Hobbs, school principal. “Since they did so well, we choseto let all the administration be slimed.”

The green concoction painted the lunchroom and school officials’heads like a scene from earlier episodes on the Nickelodeonnetwork. However, the students at Mamie Martin would have more tocheer about than seeing their administrators resemble a familiarcharacter from “Ghostbusters,” after doing so well for the schoolfundraiser.

“This year (our fundraiser) has real special meaning for us,”said Hobbs. “We have enjoyed learning, as a school, the importanceof St. Jude hospital.”

The school was able to raise more than 700 lbs. of change, orroughly $3,000, for the research facility.

While students hauled in heavy bags full of change into theirclassroom, they did so with the weight of a familiar teacher’sdaughter in their hearts.

“Everyone knows Mrs. Phillips,” said Kellye Sicks, fundraisercommittee chairman. “It hit home for us.”

Ellie Phillips, a first-grade teacher at Mamie Martin, has beenin Memphis, living in the Target House, which is an apartmentcomplex for families and patients receiving long-term treatment atSt. Jude, where her daughter Maggie Cupit is being treated forcancer.

Cupit was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a type of bone cancer,in May. It was in Cupit’s honor the students at Mamie Martin raisedthe money.

“We talked in great detail what this change is being used for,”said Hobbs. “It was important to me that they understood that wewere bringing in change to change a life.”

During the fundraiser, teachers spoke to students about theimportance of the hospital and the facility’s use. They even linedthe hallways of Mamie Martin with St. Jude posters.

Sicks said the students’ understanding and response toward thefundraiser was so great that children had to have parents helpcarry in mounds of change.

The students also did not mind the lack of presents. Awards areusually given to the top fundraisers after a school philanthropicevent. This year, the school decided to donate all the money totheir cause.

“I told my dad we were raising money for St. Jude and he told meto come here, ‘I have a big bucket for you to take to school,'”said first-grader Jackson Carter. “It was really cool, I likedbringing in all that change.”

After a job well done by the whole school, sliming theadministration instead of allowing the winning team to decide whoto cover in goo seemed fair. Just for the record, though, boyscollected 368 lbs. to girls’ 357 lbs of change.