Fifth-grader at Fernan gives $500 trivia prize back to her school

Leah Weber, 10, didn’t know why her mom insisted she brush her hair extra carefully Wednesday morning.

The reason remained a mystery until her fifth-grade class at Fernan STEM Academy received a surprise visit from Payton Hale and Chanel Miles from the Idaho Lottery.

In front of her classmates, teacher, principal and parents, Leah was presented with a $500 check for prize money she won during a recent trivia game. When her teacher asked what she planned to do with the money, Leah announced she would donate the entire amount to her school. The money will help cover school lunch costs for families who cannot afford them.

“I have a friend who doesn’t have a ton of money, and I don’t want to know that she didn’t get fed, or someone else didn’t get fed for lunch,” Leah said. “I want to make sure that everyone gets food in their stomachs.”

Leah won the $500 at a University of Idaho football game about two and a half weeks ago. She was randomly selected to participate in a trivia contest and accepted. During the first timeout of the fourth quarter, she and her mother were invited onto the field to answer trivia questions in front of the entire stadium.

“It was pretty exciting to know I was on TV,” Leah said.

The three questions were all potato-themed. The first asked about the size of the Big Idaho Potato Truck, the second was about the winner of the Spud Trophy, and the third concerned the number of potatoes produced in Idaho.

“The crowd helped us,” Leah said.

After winning the trivia game, Leah wrote a letter to her principal expressing her desire to use the prize money to help pay for student lunches.

“I was really impressed and proud of her,” said Leah’s mother, Sarah Weber.

“I wasn’t surprised,” added her father, Nick Weber, “she’s pretty thoughtful of other people.”

Leah’s classmates were excited by the Idaho Lottery representatives’ visit and the oversized check they brought. They bombarded the visitors with questions. When Leah announced her decision, the class applauded and voiced their approval. Leah’s classmates and friends of four years, Madison Schuerer and Kimber Dewls, were especially excited for her.

“I felt very proud,” Dewls said. “We don’t want kids to be hungry and to starve.”

They said they admire Leah for her kindness and positive energy.

“We don’t want kids to go hungry if they can’t afford to buy lunch at the school, or their parents can’t get them lunch from home,” Schuerer said.

    Leah Weber receives a $500 check in front of her fifth-grade class at Fernan STEM Academy with principal Kathy Livingston on Wednesday.