My School’s Cool

On Friday, December 16th from 5 to 9 p.m., area schools participating in My School’s Cool will gather at Collin Creek Mall and Vista Ridge Mall for a Spirit Rally. During the four-hour rally, students can encourage holiday shoppers to support their school by showing receipts and contributing the point value to the school’s My School’s Cool competition.

My School’s Cool is a program where schools compete for a chance to share $20,000 in cash prizes. In late January, mid-term prizes totaling $5,000 will be awarded, and at the end of the school year in 2012, the schools will share in $15,000 in cash prizes, based on the number of points earned. Schools accumulate points in a variety of ways, such as shopping, ‘liking’ Collin Creek Mall and Vista Ridge Mall on Facebook and volunteering at mall events or launching a community service project at their school. Eleven area schools are participating at Collin Creek Mall and ten at Vista Ridge Mall in the 2011-12 program.

For the rally, each school is encouraged to show its spirit and creativity by decorating tables with school colors, wearing t-shirts and costumes, displaying posters and balloons, cheering and more. Schools can bring mascots, cheerleaders, small music groups and school paraphernalia to demonstrate their spirit and attract attention from shoppers. Please note: no noisemakers, masks or fully painted faces. All balloons must have weights attached. The Spirit Rally will be in Center Court.

In addition to points earned by receipts, 500 points will be awarded to the school with the most creative display during the Spirit Rally. The winner will be determined by a vote of shoppers that evening. Each school that attends and shows its school spirit will be awarded 100 points.

Shoppers who choose to support a school during the Spirit Rally should stop at the Points Pass Table and show their mall receipts dated anytime beginning August 1, 2011. The point value will be recorded and the shopper can retain his/her receipts.

In late January, both Vista Ridge Mall and Collin Creek Mall will award cash prizes totaling $5,000 to the three schools that have earned the most points through Monday, January 16, 2012. The school with the most points will be awarded $2,500; $1,500 for the school with the second highest number of points; and $1,000 for the school with the third highest number of points. Schools can continue to earn points based on mall receipts turned in on behalf of their schools and through a variety of extra-credit opportunities through Tuesday, May 1, 2012 for Collin Creek Mall and Sunday, May 13, 2012 for Vista Ridge Mall.  After the final tabulation of points in May, the malls will award the remaining $15,000 to the top three schools overall out of all the schools participating in My School’s Cool .

The 11 area schools that are participating at Collin Creek Mall include: Akin Elementary in Wylie, Bethany Elementary in Plano, Carlisle Elementary in Plano, Carpenter Middle School in Plano, Christie Elementary in Plano, Dartmouth Elementary in Richardson, Draper Intermediate School in Wylie, Otto Middle School in Plano, Plano East Senior High in Plano, Stinson Elementary in Plano and Williams High School in Plano.

The 10 area schools participating at Vista Ridge Mall include: Creek Valley Middle School in Carrollton, Degan Elementary School in Lewisville, Denton Creek Elementary School in Coppell, Lewisville Elementary School in Lewisville. Lillie J. Jackson Early Childhood Center in Lewisville, New Tech High @ Coppell in Coppell, McAuliffe Elementary School in Highland Village, Pinkerton Elementary in Coppell, Valley Ranch Elementary in Porter and Vickery Elementary School in Flower Mound.

Competition for 2011-2012 My School’s Cool program is well underway and applications are no longer being accepted for this school year. For information about enrolling for the 2012-13 school year or general information about My School’s Cool, at Collin Creek Mall, contact Shelly Martz at (972) 543-0369 or at shelly.martz@ggp.com. At Vista Ridge Mall, contact Saundra David at saundra.david@ggp.com or (972) 315-0015, x17 for assistance. A complete list of the rules for the My School’s Cool program is available at each mall’s Management Office.

Collin Creek Mall’s website is: http://www.collincreekmall.com/

Vista Ridge Mall’s website is: http://www.vistaridgemall.com