SIKESTON — SEMO Christian Academy in Sikeston recently completed its annual candle fundraiser, which, for 25 years, has allowed preschool students to learn about fundraising and get involved in the community.
Jeanie Price with SEMO Christian Academy said the kids began selling the candles on Feb. 5 and had all of their orders turned in by Feb. 23. This year the students sold a total of 401 candles.
Price said the fundraiser is usually held in the fall, but this year the school chose to hold it in the spring.
“We’ve been doing the candle fundraiser for probably about 25 years or more,” Price said.
According to Price, fundraising is very important at the school, and the students enjoy doing it.
“We get no funding from the state or government or from the church; our funding comes from tuition and fundraisers,” Price said. “And to help keep tuition costs down, we have a fundraiser.”
Price said the school has only had one fundraiser this year, compared to two in previous years.
Normally, Price said the candles they would sell would be fall or Christmas scents, but because the candle fundraiser was in the spring, they changed it up to make the candles more spring-themed. Price said the children sold candles in a variety of scents, including blueberry, lemonade, orange twist and many others.
Students deemed as this year’s top candle sellers each received their own trophy. First place went to Gabe Renteria, who sold 64 candles, followed by a three-way tie for second place with K.J. Masegian selling 31 candles, Zadie Hurt selling 30 candles and Lettie Mobley selling 29 candles.
“We just let the three who got second place all tie because they were each so close,” Price said. “So we just let them all tie for second place.”
According to Price, the fundraiser benefits not only the school, but also the parents and students.
“The fundraiser, for one, benefits the parents of the kids that go here by keeping tuition down as much as we can, and with the profit we make, sometimes we get new things for the kids,” Price said.“Sometimes we get new things for the playground or new art supplies, just things we need for the basic running of the school.”
According to K.J.’s father, Ken Masegian, the fundraiser is a great opportunity for the kids to get out and socialize.
“It helps, for one, to teach the kids responsibility, which is a great thing,” Masegian said. “It gets them out in the community and gives them the opportunity to see their family and friends.”
Zadie, another second-place winner, said she liked selling candles to her neighbors.
“I enjoyed riding my bike and selling them to my neighbors with my mom,” Zadie said.
She also said she was able to sell some candles to her family.
“I also sold candles to uncle Jeff, my grandmother and granny, and my mom got some, too, to take home, and my dad gave some to his friends,” Zadie said. “The blueberry was my favorite, and so was the lemonade one.”
Lettie agreed with Zadie and said she liked the blueberry candle, too.
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