Boy's Question Prompts Fundraiser for Tornado-Struck School

A second-grader at St. Pius X School in Montville saw news reports about a deadly tornado hitting an elementary school in Moore, Okla., in May and knew he wanted to help.

The student, Joey Sluck, asked principal Sister June Morrissey about ways his grade could contribute.

Sister Morrissey embraced his question and the school ended up holding a fundraising "dress down" day, and running a contest where students bought chances to guess the number of gummy bears in a jar, Joey's mom, Heather Sluck, said.

Collections also were taken after Mass, with the Rev. Mark A. Olenowski announcing Joey was collecting donations in the back of the church.

The efforts raised a total of $2,567.92, Heather Sluck said.

"It was amazing an 8-year-old would know other children would need help at their school," said Sluck, who lives in Boonton.

Sluck said her son "knew even sending them a few dollars could help."

The donations will benefit Plaza Towers Elementary School, which was destroyed by the tornado. Seven children at Plaza Towers died in the storm.

Assemblyman Anthony R. Bucco visited the school Monday to recognize the fundraising efforts and gave Joey a citation for "demonstrating an exemplary measure of public-spiritedness in raising funds for the children and schools affected by the tornadoes in Oklahoma."

In coordinating the donation, Heather Sluck was in touch with Maylene Sorrels, a teacher's aide at the school who shielded and sang to students, and whose own home was destroyed.