ELLENDALE — Students at the elementary school in this city this week are raising funds to fight leukemia.

The effort is called Pennies for Patients. It is a community service project where students donate their change to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among people younger than 20.

“We want to get the entire school and community to be involved,” said sixth-grader Maci Surat.

New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Elementary School Principal Doug Anderson said the school did a Pennies for Patients drive in 2005. He said charitible efforts teach students organizational skills and teach them about helping others.

“We are happy to support a program that teaches compassion, builds character and saves lives,” he said.

On Monday, students and staff will bring pennies. On Tuesday, nickels. Wednesday, dimes. Thursday, quarters. And on Friday, they will bring dollars.

Surat, who is on the Student Council, said the goal is $500. She said there are two special days. On Monday, students and staff can pay $1 to wear pajamas to schools. On Thursday, they can donate $1 to wear a hat.

Fifth-grade Kyra Possin, also on the Student Council, said teachers will have containers for the change in their classrooms and the members of the Student Council are responsible for bringing the containers to Anderson. The money will be brought to the bank and tallied each day at 1 p.m.

An announcement will be made each morning to promote the drive and to give facts about leukemia and lymphoma. An announcement at the end of the day will give the running total.

In the early 1960s, only 1 in 25 children survived leukemia. Today, more than 8 in 10 with acute lymphocytic leukemia survive.

“Pennies for Patients teach students of all ages that they can make a difference,” said Kelly Velazquez, campaign manager for the Minnesota chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “Students contribute their spare change in honor of local student survivors, and their donations support patient services and research.”