by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

It started with a third-grade classroom assignment: write a persuasive letter to your teacher about something you want.

“We want more playground equipment because it’s not much fun on our side of the playground,” said Aynslee Emery, one of the Jonesboro Elementary students who have organized themselves into a fundraising team called “Four Girls with a Goal.”

Principal and teacher Marjorie Hicks said the assignment wasn’t only about making a wish.