École Olds Elementary School students watched and helped duct-tape four teachers to the wall during their lunch break last Thursday.
It was all for a good cause, as the money students paid for their duct-tape strips was for the school paper recycling program.
“We are getting a full paper-recycling program started with our Leadership Club here in Olds Elementary so that all the rooms have proper bins to put their paper recycling in,” said Jane Atkins, Grade 4 teacher.
Paper recycling was one of the ideas the school staff gave to the Leadership Club in September.
“The duct-tape thing is something they wanted to do. We had to find a cause for it,” said Atkins.
“The recycling program was one of the ideas they thought of as an activity. We just put them together.”
The students were all given the opportunity to purchase two 50-cm strips for 50 cents each.
“Now, the students collect two strips and then they get to go up and put them on whichever instructor they are putting them on,” said Atkins.
The event was a crowd-pleaser, with many of the students excitedly running around and snapping pictures of their teachers.
The four victims were Larry Steed, Peter Richard, Randy Kish and Kory Sholdice, the only male staff members. During the event, they frequently advised the students on how and where to put the duct-tape strips. Once the benches were removed, the four teachers remained stuck to the wall for only a few seconds, since gravity proved more powerful than duct tape. Throughout their ordeal, the teachers entertained the crowd by making funny faces and responding to the students' laughs.
Thanks to the fundraiser, the club raised $198, which is more than Atkins hoped for.
“We will be able to put one recycle bin in every classroom after this event,” she said.
“The Grade 4 students will collect it on a regular basis. We can do our part for the environment.”
The duct-tape fundraiser was the first of its kind at École Olds Elementary School.
