Ike Middle School sales ‘pop’ for Special Olympics

Eisenhower Middle School students are raising money to send athletes to the State Special Olympics competition — one bag of popcorn at a time.

In just two weeks students have raised $209, enough to send two students to the State games in Stillwater in May. The project was the brainchild of teachers Jesseca McDonald and Kim Robinson, who had the dream last year. They applied for a grant from the Lawton Public School Foundation and received $649.32 in late 2024. Machines and supplies were purchased in early January and the students went into business Jan. 17. Students in McDonald’s and Robinson’s classrooms sell their $1 bag of popcorn during the school’s three lunch periods.

“We wanted something unique to our school,” McDonald said of why she and Robinson wanted to invest in a popcorn machine. “We wanted our students to be more engaged with other students in school.”

While students do not actually pop the corn (the teachers do that task), they seal the bags, place them in a warming machine and pass them out to buyers.

“We are doing most of the bagging of the corn, then they will take over and learn the measurements of oil and salt,” McDonald said.

Eighth grader Tylun Turner, 14, may have the most important job of all. He is in charge of drumming up business as he yells, “Popcorn for sale for Special Olympics!” from his post in the concession stand.

“My favorite part is asking people to buy popcorn,” he said. “I just say we are selling popcorn for $1 for Special Olympics.”

“He is the one who is not shy so we put him in front as our salesman,” McDonald said.

Robinson said about 21 students are involved in the project. They rotate through the three lunch periods so each student has an opportunity to participate and to demonstrate the skills they have learned in the classroom. Robinson and McDonald teamed up with students in the Partners Club, who take money and make change.

The teachers said they budget $100-125 per student to attend the Special Olympics games, which includes room and board and a small shopping spree at Eskimo Joe’s.

“A lot of these kids never have the opportunity to leave Lawton,” Robinson said.

McDonald said the popcorn sales support the little things behind the scenes that no one ever sees.