Tenino ASB President Connor Stakelin, center-right, and sophomore Lucas Edwards, right, collect change from their fellow students during their Beavers Stop the Bieber fundraiser on Monday afternoon at the school in Tenino. The school's "Beavers Stop the Bieber" change drive is a fundraiser to help its sister school in Ghana. Stakelin plays Justin Bieber's "Baby" on a loop as students change classes until they raise $500.
With Justin Bieber music playing on the school's intercom, Tenino sophomore Lucas Edwards encourages fellow students to drop their change in his bucket to support the school's Beavers Stop the Bieber fundraiser on Monday afternoon in Tenino. The money raised from the event will go to Tenino's sister school in Ghana.
Disdain for a pop culture icon is fueling a fundraising effort at Tenino High School.
Justin Bieber’s song “Baby” will blare through the intercom at the school between every class period until the students raise $500 for their sister school in Ghana.
The plan to play “Baby” on repeat started Monday and will not stop until the $500 goal is reached.
The song also plays during two lunch hours along with the passing periods.
Already, students have raised $240.
“The whole idea is all in good fun and makes the kids think globally,” Geraldine Maxfield, a leadership teacher, said. “It’s about helping students in another country and another culture.”
Maxfield said one of her students thought up the idea to play Bieber’s music after the school had an assembly about the needs of its sister school, Crossover International Academy in Ghana.
The sister school, which serves orphans, is facing a drought and will need assistance, Maxfield said.
“The area has a huge drought, so the high school is trying to make the kids not just think locally, but think globally,” Maxfield said. “We are trying to raise funds so we can get this school the necessary food it needs until the next growing season.”
The students chose to use Bieber’s song over another overplayed pop song, “Friday” by Rebecca Black. If the fundraiser is still going on Friday, Maxfield said, the school may switch to Black’s song, “Friday.” The music will go on all week or until $500 is raised, Maxfield said.
It will stop by next week, but that may not be soon enough for some students.
The constant sound of “Baby” is already impacting students who are not fans of Bieber’s music.
“Justin Bieber songs today at school ... Gonna be torture for me ... Good thing I'm bringing my ear plugs!” wrote Tenino High School student Conner Mitchell on Facebook.
He later added, “Well, today I wore my ear plugs to school, because they turned on Justin Bieber songs. Glad I didn't hear anything, but I felt the boom during lunch.”
Other students said they are enjoying the tunes between class.
“We do have students that will pay to keep it playing,” Maxfield said.
