Music and dancing with principal Steve Vercellino launched a Friday morning assembly at Forest Elementary School in Farmington Hills, during which students celebrated a big donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Through a "Pasta for Pennies" campaign, students raised $3,822.69, represented in an oversized check given to Brittany Aman, the Society's campaign coordinator.

"I am so proud of you guys," Aman told students. "This is an amazing job." 

The school's new Junior Optimist Club, with 15 members in grades 1-4, came up with the fundraising idea. Randi Schreiber, one of the group's parent coordinators, said the kids voted on a project they wanted to tackle in their first year, then promoted it with signs, school-wide announcements and talking to their friends. 

"It's all kid-driven," Schreiber said. "The reason they picked this was to help people with blood cancers." 

The class that raised the most money will enjoy a pasta party provided by Olive Garden restaurant, and three other top fundraising classes received pizza or cupcake parties. Everyone else will have a Popsicle party. 

Here's how the fundraising broke down by class:

1. Ms. Dankovich - $471.10
2. Ms. Smith - $411.26
3. Ms. Phillips - $396.13
4. Ms. Greenwood - $319.99
5. Ms. Donato - $276.02
6. Ms. London - $266.87
7. Ms. T. Walsh - $244.03
8. Ms. Giller - $239.29
9. Ms. Walker - $232.19
10. Ms. Ring - $213.12
11. Ms. Hines - $208.88
12. Ms. Mykrantz - $159.70
13. Ms. C. Walsh - $151.30
14. Ms. Jarjosa - $131.97
15. Ms. Simpson - $99.84