The Pennies for Patients assembly held last Wednesday at the Colonel John Siegfried School, Northampton, possessed the trappings of the popular morning TV game show "The Price is Right."

In this case, however, teacher and student council advisor Gary Pierzga served as the coordinator as student council members flipped large numbered cards and Kelsey Kichline, campaign assistant with the Lehigh Valley Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, announced the winners.

Students from Siegfried and kindergarten children from Franklin, staff, teachers and others took part in the sixth annual Siegfried student council fundraiser to assist in research and aid those afflicted with the disease.

As the more than 700 children filled the gymnasium, beginning with the singing and ending the assembly with the Siegfried song, applause was ear splitting, as the children cheered loudly when the amount they raised was announced by Pierzga.

Suspense built up as girls from student council held large white sheets with numbers, then trading places as other totals were shown, until finally the shuffling of numbers revealed a record $6,741.35 collected, resulting in a resounding roar from the students, besting last year's amount by a little under $10. For the first time since the fundraiser was held, the sixth-grade class collected $1,326.

Student Council Co-chairpersons Madison Biechy and Emily Williams presented Kelsey Kichline, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society representative, with a $6,7421 check. Police Chief Ron Morey and Pierzga transported the money to National Penn Bank on Main Street where its personnel counted the money.

"Awesome, awesome," Pierzga said of the support the student council driven project received from students, staff and others.

Jacob Biery, second grade student, for the second consecutive year brought in the highest amount, collecting $133. Others raising $100 or more were Emily Marakovits, Colby Chadwick and Allison Mengel. A fifth grade student at Siegfried named Allison, Pierzga said gave her Christmas gift money to the campaign.

Northampton Area School District Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik led a delegation of school personnel and directors at the program at which Mayor Thomas Reenock and Morey represented the borough.