Northside fifth-grader Austin Roberts single-handedly raises $9,000
By REBECCA LEFTWICH
rebecca@newnan.com
In his six years at Northside Elementary, Austin Roberts has helped pay for everything from a climbing wall to art teacher salaries for his school.
The fifth-grader has been the top fund-raiser for Northside’s PTO since kindergarten, raising nearly $9,000 single-handedly.
At the beginning of each new school year, the PTO holds a fundraiser to pay its art teacher salary and purchase art supplies for the school. The Coweta County School System pays for 15 hours a week of art instruction, and any additional hours have to be paid by the PTO.
Riede said that translates into approximately $10,000 for Northside, a Title 1 school.
Roberts has been the PTO’s go-to guy, topping the charts with both most money raised and most items sold. In other fundraisers throughout his years at Northside, he has helped with the PTO’s efforts to provide classroom technology such as Promethean Boards, teacher supplies, gifts and other needs, and a giant climbing wall for physical education classes.
In addition to his enormous effort to financially help his school, Roberts has maintained honor roll status each year.
“Austin is a great role model as a student, in manners and in school spirit,” Riede said.
Roberts’ sales helped his homeroom teacher, Kelly Dennis, win second place in overall classroom fundraising with a total of $1,170 in the fall fundraiser. First place was Pam Griner’s fourth-grade class with $1,276.50 and third place was Katharine Lambert’s third-grade class with $760.75.
Overall, Northside’s fourth-graders raised the most money with a total of $2,108.75.
