Don’t mess with the Willow Springs Elementary PTA. The school is involved in the Kohl’s Cares Facebook contest where the 20 schools in the nation that acquire the most votes each get $500,000. As of Aug. 21, the school was holding 29th position – nine spots out of the money. So the PTA has decided that if the staff can’t encourage more people to vote that they will throw them in the “slammer.”

The Fuquay-Varina Tractor Supply store on Hwy 401 has agreed to let the school set up a makeshift jail using one of its 10x10 chain link dog kennels. Staff and teachers from the school will take turns in “lock up” starting Aug. 28 with staff not being released until they win the contest on Sept. 3. Teachers and staff can potentially be bailed out by acquiring a certain number of votes.

Willow Springs Elementary, located just outside of Fuquay-Varina, is the only Wake County School currently in the top 100, and it is the only NC public school in the running. There are two private Charlotte area schools in the contest as well. With enrollment at over 900 students, the $500,000 would go towards putting technology in the hands of every student at Willow Springs Elementary.

The school has scheduled several “vote a thons” in the area to raise awareness of their quest and to garner more votes. Volunteers will be on hand at these events with laptops to assist people to vote for the school on the spot. Assaggios, located at 941 E Broad St. Fuquay Varina was the first location on Aug. 25, as owner Tom McGrath is very involved in the community and wanted to support the cause. From there, volunteers will be set up at Kick Back Jacks in Garner at the corner of Hwy 401 and Hwy 70 on Thursday, Aug. 26. School board member John Tedesco will be joining the volunteers at this event to show his support and help to bring more attention to their efforts.

The volunteers have established a website to keep supporters up to date on their place in the contest – www.voteforwses.com. This site is also used to list the businesses that are supporting the school. Several businesses are holding raffles, offering discounts or freebies for patrons that bring in proof that they voted for the school. In addition, the school itself is holding a raffle for a Flip video camera, $25 I Tunes GC, two $25 GameStop gift cards and several local restaurant gift certificates.

To show your support for Willow Springs Elementary simply log on to Facebook and search for Kohl’s, click the “like” button, then search 27592 for Willow Springs Elementary, NC. The school is asking supporters to cast five votes (the maximum allowed for any particular school) for their school, and then use the other votes for any other schools they feel deserve them. Kohl’s cares for Willow Springs Elementary is a page that was created to help supporters spread the word on Facebook.

So get out and support Willow Springs Elementary by bailing their staff out of jail. Only YOUR votes can help!