The Tyrone High School Youth Action Network wrapped up its 14th annual Pennies for Panzi fundraising campaign on February 3. This year Tyrone students, teachers, and staff donated two times more than was raised in 2022 or 2021. 

YAN raised $1,242 for the Panzi Foundation, beating last year’s total of $578 and the 2021 total of just over $500.

The total amount donated to Panzi Hospital since TAHS began supporting this important cause is now close to $20,000.

“The fact that our rural community, with 55 percent of our student body coming from households below the poverty level, is able to raise funds every year to help this remarkable hospital is both impressive and rewarding. The Tyrone community should be very proud of its students,” said Tyrone social studies teacher and YAN advisor Cummins McNitt. 

The top two classes were Mrs. Laura Harris’s period 1 class which raised the most overall money and Mrs. Tracy Redinger’s period 5 class for collecting the most pennies. 

The Nutrition Group will provide snacks to each winning class. 

Students participated by donating pennies to boost their class points. Each penny equals one point. Students also donated quarters, dimes, nickels, and paper bills to sabotage other classes’ chances of winning. Each cent of donations in a form other than pennies subtracts one point from the class total. 

The Panzi Hospital aids women victims of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

The founder of the Panzi Hospital is Dr. Denis Mukwege, the recipient of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize and numerous other international human rights awards.

Members of YAN plan to make the check presentation to the Panzi Foundation in person during a YAN field trip to Washington DC in the spring.