Teachers called it Lehigh Acres Middle School Enrichment Day, but to the 350

students from the middle school on Arthur Ave., it was a day off from school

and a day filled with all kinds of activities that youngsters enjoy on a hot

day outside.

The students at the school have been selling “cookie dough” during the year

to family and friends to raise money for school events such as school

outings, special events and a final day of excitement for those who reached

their goals with a day at Veterans Park, said Kara OKeefe, the schools

student council adviser.

Helping to run the events, too, was Dana Arhar. They’re members of the

Lehigh Acres Middle School Pride Committee also known as LAMS. Arhar was

teacher of the year for the Lehigh Chamber of Commerce in 2009.

“These kids sold cookie dough during two sale promotions and sold $24,000

worth. After expenses, they had $11,000 and it pays for field trips and a

day of nothing but fun for the students,” O’keefe said.

The students stuffed down hundreds of hotdogs and burgers and soft drinks

and water, much of it donated. They ate at tables in the pavilion in the

back of the park near the lake. Nearby was a couple of Lehigh Acres Fire

Dept. firefighters spraying cold water from big water hoses at a large group

of students who were screaming and having the time of their lives. And

nearby, a teacher in a dunk tank got laughed at each time a student threw a

ball and hit the bell and down went the the teacher.

Mikeal Cherbin was the teacher who seemed to get dunked every few minutes

from some very good students who liked throwing a ball and making their

teacher fall off a perch causing a big splash and lots of laughter. Students

paid a dollar for three throws and many of the students have been saving up

for this event.

When student Paige Driver, a sixth grader at the school, got her turn, she

missed twice, but on the third throw, she hit the key spot and down went

teacher Cherbini into the drink.

“It’s a hot day and it’s keeping me cool,” he later said laughing. “It’s their day and these kids are having a lot of fun.”

In addition to a lot of water action, students had bounce houses and other

activities, too. The whole park had been taken over by the students and some

30 teachers and 25 parents were there to make sure there were no problems.

The school has held such an event for the past four years and O’Keefe said

it gave the students an incentive.

However, not all of the students at the school could go. Those that didn’t

sell didn’t make it and they remained back at school as a regular school

day. Lehigh Acres Middle School has about 1,000 students, give or take some,

and 350 of them got the day in the park for their fundraising efforts. And

teachers said they believe the cookie dough sale helped to teach students

how to handle money and learn about community service at their age.