Matthew Faas, 30, still remembers selling candy bars for those ubiquitous school fundraisers. The memories are not pleasant.
“Nobody wanted to do it,” says Faas. “Most of the time it was the children’s parents, aunts or uncles doing it. There was no educational value.”
Last August, Leah Naylor moved into his Uptown neighborhood. As they started talking, Faas received a vision that ultimately morphed into the One Word, One Love Foundation, an educational alternative to traditional school fundraising.
Naylor, a teacher at Maria Mitchell Elementary School in the Cole neighborhood, told him that she was creating a school newspaper, using 8 1/2-by-11-inch sheets of paper.
“I saw it like tunnel vision,” he says. “I saw all the advertisements and how community-oriented it would be, how specific to the school in that area. I had the idea that the kids would do all the articles.”
The first issue of “The Maria Mitchell Post” hit the school and newsstands all over Denver in December. From the neighborhoods of South Broadway to South Pearl, from Aurora to Littleton, about 20,000 copies have been distributed.
Printed in bright colors, “The Maria Mitchell Post” is a 16-page chronicle of life from the eyes of fifth-graders: topics include health, fitness, fashion, nature and movies.
“It was fun,” says Kevin Omana Mendoza, one of two students who won $500 college scholarships for their work on the project. “We got to make our own newspaper. We got to research and write.”
“It will help us with the CSAPs,” says Quinten Balzer. “It’s like practice for them. When we interviewed we got the most important thing, and on the CSAPs, they ask you about the main idea.”
Idea a hit with academic community
That depends on the ability of Faas to sell his idea to school systems. His prototype is already a hit in the academic community.
“I’ve gotten e-mails from other (school) principals about what wonderful work the students did,” says Mitchell principal Jennifer Barton. “I think this is a great idea.”
Faas raised nearly $1,700 for the students, in the form of gift certificates and two $500 college scholarships.
Printing and distribution costs, which came out of his pocket, cost him $3,500. He considers this an investment in what he hopes will be his new career, as he quit his advertising job to focus on launching this business.
Faas created a business model based on advertising, sponsorships and subscriptions. A single subscription, with one issue each semester, would cost $25. Advertising will be exclusive: only one Subaru dealer, or only one Italian restaurant. Of those revenues, 80 percent would go to the school; 20 percent to operating costs, part of which would include his salary.
“I’m not looking to get rich,” he says. “I have no problem making a teacher’s salary.”
To create the first issue, Faas persuaded a friend, Michael Fox, to design the 16-page newspaper for free.
The concept dovetailed with Fox’s values. “I get kids coming to my door, and I want to support them, but not by buying a candy bar,” he says.
“I want to support them by helping develop their art and writing skills. A candy bar is gone in two minutes, but a newspaper can be around a few months, or their parents can keep it forever.”
Local business owners also wanted to help.
Places like Beau Jo’s Pizza, the Denver Firefighters Museum, Arbor Gardens, Kid’s Auto, Woodley’s Fine Furniture, Bear Frame and Axle, and Brothers BBQ all gave products and gift certificates for a raffle.
Independent P.C. gave some computers; Ibraheems Oriental Rugs donated a rug.
In exchange, the students drew illustrations that advertised these businesses, using colored pencils donated by Guiry’s Paint Supplies.
Kids’ creativity includes raffle sales
These playful artworks were printed in the newspaper and displayed at a “publishing party” for the kids and their parents, held at Fluid Coffee Shop, where owner Jeff Aitken donated free smoothies and biscotti.
“It was a chance for us to touch base with the community and create a community project where our customers got involved,” says Aitken, whose coffee-drinkers spent hundreds of dollars on raffle tickets.
“It was a chance to help kids be creative, and it was great to see how excited they were, putting together something like this.”
Besides writing and drawing, the students also organized their sales force.
“The kids were selling (raffle) tickets like mad,” says Barton. “They were out on the playground with clipboards, very strategic about it.”
At a recent academic awards ceremony, in the auditorium of Maria Mitchell Elementary, Faas handed out the college scholarship, along with two framed certificates.
“This is possible,” he told the room of rapt students, “for every single one of you.”
To contact Matthew Faas for more information, e-mail onewordonelove@yahoo.com.
Staff writer Colleen O’Connor can be reached at 303-954-1083 or at coconnor@denverpost.com.
