Small, white boxes appeared in classrooms all over campus on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Beta Club launched the annual Pasta for Pennies campaign, and they expected to raise more this year than in the past.

The Pasta for Pennies campaign is a three-week long fundraiser that will run until March 6 and is sponsored by the restaurant chain Olive Garden who provides a free lunch to the class that collects the most spare change.

Approximately 20 teachers agreed to participate in the event. The boxes placed in the classrooms of participating teachers are for their mid-block classes to fill.

“I think it’s one of the best programs that Beta Club does because it’s the most involved thing that we do for any sort of group,” senior Steven Carolus said.

Under the supervision of new sponsor Michelle Cortes, students were motivated to get more teachers involved as well as promote the campaign through advertisements.

In addition to more teacher participation, more club members have volunteered to help with organizing the event this year by helping count the change collected every Friday. As of Friday, Feb. 20, $122 had been collected. The funds raised go towards the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

“Many of us have been impacted by cancer. If we can do something as simple as collecting pocket-change to assist in research and support of Leukemia patients I’m all for it,” Cortes said.