Daken Kramer, a fifth grader from Thomas Ultican Elementary, exceeded his fundraising goal to pay off his school’s lunch debt, sparking a nationwide response and receiving an inaugural award for his compassion and initiative.
Daken Kramer, a fifth grader from Thomas Ultican Elementary in Blue Springs, Missouri, raised over $7,300 to help pay off his school’s lunch debt. Initially setting a goal of $3,500, he exceeded it by utilizing a fundraising video on his mother’s Facebook page, asking friends, family, and local businesses for donations. The fundraiser, named “Daken Feeds TUE,” quickly gained traction, attracting contributions from across the country.
Thomas Ultican Elementary, a Title I school where many students come from low-income families, holds substantial lunch debt. Daken’s initiative, which garnered donations through PayPal and cash, managed to clear his school’s debt, with the surplus directed to Blue Springs High School.
At his graduation on May 21, Daken was honored with the inaugural “Daken Kramer Legacy Award,” an accolade his school will now present annually to students demonstrating exceptional compassion and initiative. Further, Daken and his mother, Vanessa Kramer, expressed their intentions to collaborate with local officials to continue addressing the broader issue of school meal debt within their district and beyond.
