Students Organize Yard Sale to Benefit Amy's Army

Oakton Elementary sixth-graders are learning the value of community service with a yard sale project that has already raised more than $500 for . 

Under the supervision of sixth-grade teacher Eileen Donohue, the students have organized committees, promoted the event and communicated with people interested in hosting a table for a $25 fee. As of Thursday night, the group had sold 25 tables to members of the community. Carvel will also be on site to sell ice cream to patrons.

Fairfax County Public Schools requires students to engage in service-learning projects, but the degree of this group's involvement and enthusiasm has surpassed any of the past projects Donohue has overseen.

"Yes, it's a have-to-do, but most groups are not doing as massive of a project as we are doing," Donohue said. "It all stemmed from the kids this year. They researched charities and chose the one they wanted. ... The kids have loved it. They feel completely empowered. This was all their idea. It's not about doing my project, it's about doing their project."

Amanda Good, 12, said she and her friends have had fun putting in all the hard work for a good cause. 

"It's a lot of fun, and it's a great feeling to know that you're helping a woman with cancer," Good said. "Since it's a local charity, a lot of kids in our grade already knew what it was. So it was an even better feeling to know that we're helping a local charity."

Amy's Army is a nonprofit that raises money to increase awareness and support medical research for cancer, but also to offer financial assistance to women fighting the disease.

It started in 2007 as a Relay for Life group in honor of Amy Howle, who was battling breast cancer, and has grown into a nonprofit. Howle lost her battle with cancer in March 2011. Two of Howle's children have grown out of Oakton Elementary, and two still attend. Her children will be at the yard sale Saturday.

"The children in that neighborhood, it's really touched them very deeply. And there are some parents currently who using Amy's Army," Donohue said. "So it's a really tight-knit community, and the kids are so happy to help out."

Good said she and a group of her classmates have helped make posters, collect money, advertise the event and correspond with yard sale participants via email over the past few weeks.

"I think they're learning life skills through the different tasks," said Donohue, who has taught at Oakton Elementary for seven of her 20 years as a teacher. "It's really important to know how to organize this kind of project because you learn so many skills along the way." 

The yard sale will run from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Oakton Elementary.