In a time when most people are pinching pennies, students at a local elementary school are learning a little change can make a big change.

Zach Talley is a third grader at Mary Feeser Elementary School in Elkhart. The nine-year-old has a fatal muscle disease called Ataxia-Telangiectasia. He uses a wheelchair to get around and needs a wheelchair lift for his mother’s car.

Zach’s mom, Brigid Steinhagen, says insurance won’t cover the costs for the $2,700 piece of equipment, but it’s essential for Zach's mobility.

So the students at Zach’s school are going to war—a penny war. They are dumping out their piggy banks to raise money for a wheelchair lift. A penny counts as one point for their grade and other coins and dollars count as negative points.

"Today I brought in a dollar worth of pennies and then yesterday I brought in 25 cents worth of pennies!" says fellow classmate Kacie Fischer.

"We can be part of something bigger than ourselves and we can help out even through donating 15 pennies!" says Kevin Dean, the school’s principal. "He's got such a great spirit about him. He's always smiling and giving high fives and enjoying the other students."

"I think it's just marvelous they want to come together for someone right here,” says Jean Hauser, Zach’s personal aid.” We can help out someone who has a special need right here."

"Two or three pennies, hey, it might make a $5 dollar difference, but that $5 difference is going to help him out tremendously," explains Zach’s teacher, Mr. Caldwell.

"Just to see the smiling facing and the fact that they want to participate and help out a student that they go to school with is just overwhelming,” says Brigid Steinhagen, Zach’s mom. "I watched the children come down and put their money in the piggy banks and they're like, 'Mrs. Steinhagen, Mrs. Steinhagen, I brought pennies today!' And they're just so excited about being able to help out."

If you’d like to help, you can send a donation to:

Attention: Zach Talley
Alicks Home Medical
17187 SR 23
South Bend, IN 46635