Missouri fifth grader raises $7,300 to pay off his entire school’s meal debt

A fifth-grader from Missouri was honored for his compassion after raising money to help his disadvantaged peers pay off their lunch money.

Daken Kramer raised more than $7,300 for Thomas Ultican Elementary in Blue Springs, surpassing his original goal of $3,500, which was just over the total of the school’s debt.

The fifth-grader revealed his lofty ambitions in an April 12 video posted to his mother’s Facebook.

“This is my last year in elementary school,” Daken said. “While I can never repay this school for all the hard work that has gone into my education and well-being, I would like to do something to show my gratitude.”

He challenged friends, families and local businesses to donate via a PayPal link or give cash as part of a fundraising campaign called Daken Feeds TUE.

Daken explained that Thomas Ultican is a Title I school, meaning a large number of students come from low-income families.

“Many children in school are already benefiting from reduced lunches, and some are unable to pay their lunch debt,” he said. “Please consider helping these families relieve the stress from their lives.”

According to a district websitebreakfast for an elementary student costs $1.85, while lunch is $2.55. However, for students on the reduced price program, breakfast is free and lunch costs 40 cents.

About 29 percent of the district’s 15,000 students qualify for free or reduced lunch, according to a district spokesperson.

‘Daken wanted to do something special as a thank you to his school and has VERY high expectations for this project. I’m so proud of him for wanting to help others,” Daken’s mother Vanessa Kramer captioned the video.

‘I know the target amount is a lot, but there are many families who cannot pay off their debts.’

Daken’s good intentions caught the attention of people in his community and beyond. The campaign spread to states such as neighboring Arkansas and those as far away as Florida and New Jersey.

In messages accompanying their PayPal donations, some people expressed how they personally connected to his mission.

“Thanks for doing this, boy,” one man wrote. “I know what it’s like to sit in class on an empty stomach.”

Within two weeks, Daken’s fundraising campaign had more than doubled its goal, and Kramer announced on May 11 that the mother-son duo had raised $7,470.

Before the campaign ended, more than $7,200 had been raised through PayPal, while Daken would continue to receive cash donations until his graduation on May 21.

“We have seen donations from people without children, from homeschooling or private school families, and LOTS of donations from other states,” Kramer wrote.

“This has been an eye-opening situation for a lot of people and I hope it will prompt those in power to talk about universal school lunches.”

Daken managed to pay off his school’s debts and the remaining amount was distributed to Blue Springs High School, another school in the district.

At his graduation last week, the fifth-grader received the Daken Kramer Legacy Award, starting a new annual tradition.

‘It was definitely a surprise. I had no idea they were going to do that,” Daken said CNN. “And I definitely started to feel a lot of emotions.”

The honor came as he stood on stage next to a huge check and thanked the school staff, administrators and his fifth-grade teacher Kristi Haley for being “a great role model.”

Haley praised Daken’s “heart,” “drive” and “determination” before making the surprise announcement that there would be an award in his honor.

“We are so proud of you for choosing to leave such an amazing legacy when you leave TUE,” Haley said. “Needless to say, your selfless actions will impact dozens of students in our district.”

The couple hugged as she presented Daken with the award of the same name.

“This will be an experience that will stay with him for the rest of his life,” Kramer wrote on Facebook. ‘This has created something in Daken that makes him want to continue to change the world for the better.’

While Daken’s fundraiser covered his school’s dues, the meal debt of 20 schools in the district is more than $235,000.

Kramer told CNN that the mother-son duo is now working with a Missouri state representative to see if they can amplify their good deed.

“I hope this fundraiser has opened some eyes and raised awareness for a very serious problem in our country,” Kramer wrote on social media.

“It’s a national problem, not just in Missouri. I hope this is a first step towards change. I know that government officials should be the ones to make a difference. But I teach my boys to be the change you want to see in the world.”