MacKenzie Guynn With Valentine’s Day in the recent past, Best Buddies held their annual fundraiser where they sell singing valentines as well as the more conventional paper valentines to students. Many of you remember this time of year for the performances from various students in your classes, taking away at least 5 minutes from your lesson. It brings comic relief to a particularly stressful day, adding much excitement. However, students are not the only ones who love this tradition, teachers also enjoy listening to the singing grams as long as they don’t interrupt class time too much. Math teacher Ms. Gasser is one of the teachers who loves having singing valentines delivered to her classes and even ordered one for herself this year. The main reason she enjoys the fundraiser so much is Best Buddies’ tactic of asking teachers if they do not want interruptions in their classes is. This way it can continue to be “a fun tradition,” though “distracting at times.” Despite Ms. Gasser being “okay with it,” her perspective is not shared by all teachers. Ms. Jeno, on the other hand, originally thought that they could “be done during a free or lunch,” since if you’re teaching a lesson and all of the students are “super engaged,” you would not want a group of kids disrupting the class. But once she saw an amazing performance in Mr. Kendrick’s class, she changed her mind completely. She began to appreciate the option to “opt-out” if you would like, and realized just how much the “students appreciate them.” This fundraiser started five years ago, and Alden Sulger, one of the club heads, doesn’t see them “getting rid of it anytime soon.” And rightfully so, since most students enjoy the performances and it has been “trademarked” by Best Buddies as an annual ordeal. This year, the club raised nearly $400, a profit that will go to keeping the club’s national charter. “Because best buddies is an international organization, we have to pay a set amount annually to keep best buddies afloat,” explained Alden. The rest of the money will be spent on a surprise that will take place right after spring break. This year’s sale might be over, but you will always have another chance to buy as many valentines as your heart desires next year. ]]>