Seventh and eighth grade students at Ferri Middle School have a newfound appreciation for math, thanks to their participation in Math-A-Thon, a fundraiser to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Engaging hundreds of schools around the country, Math-A-Thon is a volunteer-based fundraising program that includes a free math curriculum supplement for kindergarten through eighth grade that students complete after obtaining sponsorships from family and friends.

Although they set a goal of $1,000, the school has exceeded expectations.

“The students have raised $1,600 so far, and on Friday the faculty is having a dressdown day to support St. Jude. The students are having a PJ day to raise money as well,” said math technician Alicia Florio.

By Friday, Ferri had collected more than $2,300, with other dressdown funds not yet counted. The PJ day alone raked in $300.

The fundraiser officially ended on Jan. 5, following the return from winter break, but since that date the money has continued to roll in. Each student took pledges for problems solved correctly in the Fun Book that came with the program.

Florio and fellow math tech Melissa Brousseau gave the students extra incentives. Florio offered to match donations raised by her eighth grade students and was soon challenged by one student, Josh Plante, who donated $50 from his Christmas money.

Brousseau had offered top fundraisers in her seventh grade class a trip in a limo to Papa Gino’s in Smithfield. One of her students, Ashleigh Santilli, raised $315.

The students are also eligible for T-shirts and other small prizes from Math-A-Thon, and the school will be entered into a drawing for larger prizes.

“Both of us are first year teachers here, so it’s great to think were making a positive impact,” said Florio. She is an alumnus of both Ferri Middle School and of Johnston High School and is now working with some of her former teachers.

Both 23 years old, Florio and Brousseau attended Rhode Island College together and graduated the same year.

“It was great to know someone in the same boat, so to speak,” said Florio.

“The great thing is that we can still relate to the students,” Brousseau added.

The pair is not alone, however. They praised Assistant Principal Dennis Morrell for his support of the fundraisers. As first year teachers, staff members who have been at Ferri for some years also mentor them, including Sue Pagliaro and Sue Sanborn.

“Both of them have been so supportive of us,” Brousseau said. “They brought the Math-A-Thon project to our attention, and we ran with it. Hopefully, it will be an annual event.”

For more information visit www.mathathon.org.