Mindarie Primary School wins Telethon Premier’s Challenge for second year running, raising more than $32,000

Mindarie Primary School students have smashed their own fundraising record to take out the Telethon Premier’s Challenge for a second year running, raising more than $32,000 for sick WA kids.

The northern suburbs school was the highest fundraising school in this year’s challenge, along the way blowing its planned $25,000 target out of the water.

Year 6 student councillors Dylan Stanton and Amelia Allbury led the charge on the school’s fundraising committee, helping rally students and the wider community behind the cause.

“I didn’t think $30,000 was possible,” Dylan said.

“I thought it was going to be like $25,000. We reached $25,000 with the bake sale money, and then we were like, we still have one fundraiser left, so we can probably do it.”

The school pulled out all the stops to raise money, with students taking part in crazy sock day, a performing arts showcase, a VIP car bay raffle, a bake sale and more.

“All of them were really fun, but probably pyjama day was my favourite because then we got to come to school and it was a bit rainy, so that was good,” Amelia said.

“I liked the bake sale because you could buy cookies and stuff,” Dylan said.

The fundraising effort comes on the back of Mindarie Primary winning the challenge last year, raising $18,000.

Deputy principal Helen Woodaid said the school was determined to make sure its fundraising pulled from beyond the school gates.

“With the cookie dough that we sold, the kids could sell them to families, neighbours, aunties, uncles, their sporting clubs, so that way, we were spreading those donations further than just our school,” she said.

“We had to reach beyond our community because we know it affects beyond the community.”

The school even gave students an extra incentive to reach the $30,000 mark, with principal Mrs Bromley promising to be slimed by the students if they hit the lofty goal.

“Mrs Bromley, our school principal, said that if we got to $30,000, then she would get slimed by the kids, and so that seemed a little bit far fetched, but somehow we did it,” Ms Woodaid said.

The result has left the school stunned, with its two-year fundraising contribution now above $50,000.

“Last year was $18,000. This year’s the 32. So to hit $50,000 over two years from our community is absolutely amazing. Would never have imagined that we could do it,” Ms Woodaid said.

Year 6 teacher Tania Vanderspur said the student leaders’ competitive nature played a huge role in the success.

“The student leaders have just gone above and beyond this year,” she said.

“I work with the leaders and I have a meeting with them on a Thursday at recess, and every week I had to put the leader board up first before they would even talk to me.”

The cookie dough fundraiser proved particularly popular, with students selling a staggering one and a half tonnes.

“We figured out that’s actually the size of a hippopotamus,” Ms Vanderspur said.

With the title now secured for a second consecutive year, Dylan and Amelia have already passed on their advice to next year’s Year 6 student leaders in the hope Mindarie can complete a Telethon trifecta.

“Keep going and keep putting ideas out there,” Dylan said.

The Telethon Premier’s Challenge this year raised $153,760 for Telethon, with 75 schools registered to take part.

“Western Australians have always dug deep for Telethon, and it’s fantastic to see Western Australian students getting behind such an important cause,” Premier Roger Cook said.

“To have schools raise even more in the second year of the challenge is an outstanding result and a credit to the enthusiasm of students, staff, and families across our State.”

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