Students at the Area Learning Center recently joined together to raise almost $300 for Pennies for Patients.

Paula Olson, a teacher at the ALC, which is housed at Brookside Education Center, said she was proud of the students for supporting such a good cause. Pennies for Patients supports research for lymphoma, leukemia and melanoma.

“It’s to support patients who are suffering from those forms of cancer,” Olson said. “The money raised here stays local, too.”

The ALC serves about 60 students. Each advisory group competed against the others to raise $283 in one week for Pennies for Patients. Because the school raised more than $200, the charity will provide the winning group of students a pizza party.

“Especially the last day, they were digging in their pockets to find change,” Olson said. “It was fun, and we got the opportunity to talk to them about these forms of cancer.”

Olson said the ALC also teaches its students to learn how to volunteer and be responsible in the community, and participating in this fundraiser was just one example of how the students could help others. The one-week drive ended March 15.

“I was pretty proud of how well the kids did with that short of time,” Olson said.