Katie Bonnough, right, a seventh grade student at Otsego Junior High School, fills a bucket with silver coins along with fellow classmates at Bowling Green Middle School Tuesday morning.
J.D. Pooley | Sentinel-Tribune
The war is on between the Bobcats and the Knights.
A penny war to help build the Wood County Plays inclusive playground at Carter Park is going on between Bowling Green and Otsego students.
On Tuesday, Otsego’s mascot and some Otsego Junior High School students came to Bowling Green Middle School to add silver coins to the school’s jars in an effort to combat the pennies that have been collected.
On Wednesday, BGMS sixth graders visited their competitors to return the favor.
In a penny war, the value of any pennies collected count toward that group’s point total, while the value of other coins are subtracted. The school with the most positive points wins.
“The kids had a lot of fun with it,” said BGMS Principal Eric Radabaugh Tuesday.
“It’s all for a great cause … so we’re having a friendly competition and in the end our students get to support something that is going to take place here in Bowling Green,” he said.
The winner, if more than $500 is raised, will have its name added to the Wood County Plays donation board. They will also be able to give a little input in the design process, Radabaugh said.
“Anytime a BG/Otsego rivalry happens, they have fun with it,” he said.
The community can get involved, too.
Ginny Stewart, a member of the Bowling Green City Schools Board of Education, implored members of the Bowling Green community to empty their change jars and bring pennies to any schools — and drop off silver at Otsego.
“I think it’s pretty fun,” she said. “From what I understand, Otsego is coming on and they’re coming on big and they’re planning to win.”
Coins will be collected until Friday.
