Worthington students will be among the 7,000 students from Worthington and Columbus schools breaking piggy banks, looking under couch cushions and car seats and going door to door to ask for pennies for the Penny Harvest program.

Five Worthington elementary schools -- Granby, Worthington Hills, Liberty, Wilson Hill and Worthington Estates -- kicked off Penny Harvest programs last week.

Worthington residents Bill and Laura Grindle brought the Penny Harvest program to Worthington and the Columbus area last year, creating a local nonprofit organization called See Kids Dream whose mission is "to empower youth to connect and engage their community," according to information on their Web site, seekidsdream.org.

"Last year, students from seven schools raised $15,114.66, which they donated to 22 different organizations, addressing issues such as homelessness, hunger, help for children and adults with cancer, the environment and care for animals," Mr. Grindle said.

Wilson Hill Principal Pat Reeder said Penny Harvest is really a yearlong program of community service.

"Wilson Hill builds a Penny Harvest leadership team from students in grades 3-6," she said. "These leaders meet after school and plan the opening activities and followup events. They lead classroom groups ... of older and younger pairs in learning about community and exploring the needs of the Worthington community."

Reeder said each group ultimately decides on one area of need to emphasize, which is outlined on a "Wheel of Caring."

"Students then begin to collect pennies and carrying the message about our community needs," she said. "Once the harvest is completed, the leaders come back and begin to explore ways to meet the identified needs."

Last year, Wilson Hill students gave grants to the Make a Wish Foundation, a spay-neuter clinic and the Komen Foundation, Reeder said.

"The program really builds leaders and helps kids develop a sense of personal efficacy about making a difference," she said. "They also learn about their community and really understand the concept of philanthropy."

At Liberty, teacher Nancy Ehlert said Penny Harvest representatives in grades 3-6 are selected in early October to plan the kickoff assembly.

"Students in all the grades are given the history of the Penny Harvest and Common Sense program, which began in New York City 18 years ago," she said. "They are then invited to collect pennies and spare change from family, friends and relatives to come together to provide grants for charities in need in our community."

On Dec. 10, all of the 20 schools in Columbus and Worthington will come together to celebrate the "harvest" of the pennies; then the coins will go to Huntington Bank to be tabulated.

"Phase two of the program begins in January, when students will consult the Wheel of Caring to narrow down the areas of greatest need," she said. "They begin to research the grants and service projects we can fund with the money raised from the harvest."

By March, students will decide which grants will be awarded during an award assembly, which the organizations will attend to receive the grants, Ehlert said.

"It is a program that gives kids the chance to make a real difference in their community and to develop leadership skills, economics and community awareness, helps build self-esteem and gives kids the notion they can make the world a better place for those who need some help," she said.

"The program really builds

leaders and helps kids develop a sense of personal efficacy about making a difference."

--Pat Reeder