Behind bars for good

• Jail and Bail

Brooke Aaberg and Emma Sieling were put behind bars to raise money for Jingle Bells.

Talk about it

Are we guilty or innocent? This is the question Jefferson High School (JHS) students asked themselves last Friday as they sat in a four-sided cell.

The Leo Club, advised by Ann Branch, a teacher at JHS, hosted the annual Jail and Bail charity event.

Students and teachers had all week to purchase tickets. Tickets to put students in jail were $2 for every five minutes or $22 for an entire class period and $4 for five minutes or $44 for a whole class period to put a teacher in jail.

At the end of the day, the Leo Club adds up all of the donations and the proceeds are donated to the Jingle Bells program.

In 2008, the Leo Club raised approximately $1,300. Their goal was to make $1,000 more than that this year. The 2009 turn out was $1,379.60. A small increase compared to the 2008 event.

“Students run this activity all day,” Branch said. “From careful organization, they gain skills while learning to help out the community. Learning to volunteer as a youth is very important, especially these days.”

Many student volunteers enjoy this opportunity to step out and help the community for a sense of donating and also some added fun.

“I help because it is for a good cause,” said Jon Schwegel, JHS senior. “It is also a fun time and I get to be away from school for the day.”

Not only the members of the Leo Club see this charity as being a good cause.

“With the economy, Jail and Bail creates a big impact on Jingle Bells, which helps the economy in Alexandria,” said Emma Sieling, JHS senior. “It is also important for students to be involved and to be seen as equals amongst adults.”

Sieling also joked, “I am kind of worried about getting into college now that I have a criminal record.”

The JHS staff and students were proud and cheerful to help out the Jingle Bells program while having a large amount of fun themselves.

Cut line for photo: JHS students wait eagerly to sign their fellow classmates up for the Jail and Bail charity event.

Tags: jail and bail, life, school