Mars Area Middle School collected $443.09 as part of a “Penny Wars” fundraiser held Jan. 15-22 to benefit Homes for Our Troop.

Students in seventh and eighth grade were asked to donate pennies, bills or checks to earn positive points. Donations of nickels, dimes or quarters were considered negative points.

Seventh-graders donated $149.41 and earned a total of 11,171 points; while eighth-graders brought in $169.45 (335 points). As they earned highest number of points, seventh grade students will receive a free drink and chips at the school’s Spirit Dance on Friday, Feb. 7. An additional $124.23 was donated to the cause, bring the grand total to $443.09.

In addition, for every dollar donated, a student’s name was entered into a drawing for an opportunity to toss a pie in the face of teachers Mary Jo Phillips or Amanda Stavish. The students were randomly selected to do so during a school assembly on Jan. 23.

For more information, call (724) 625-3145.