Wooster Middle School teacher Alexandra Shagoury couldn't get the image out of her mind.

"I saw this picture of a teacher in Ukraine who was teaching her students, and they were all huddled up in a bunker, and that really hit me. It just made me so emotional," Shagoury recalled. "I thought to myself, 'Yes, I can sit here and be sad, but I can also do something about that.'"

Shagoury came up with the idea of collecting coins at school to help kids in Ukraine. She made it a competition between some of the eighth grade classes. The drive began on March 8 and quickly took off. Shagoury's initial goal was $200, which they nearly hit the first day. Goals of $500, $1,000, and $2,000 were also surpassed.

"We feel for them, and we want them to have what we have over here. We want them to have a better life," said student Alex Medina.

The effort is personal for student Matthew Stanislavskyy. "My parents are both originally from Ukraine. They were both born there and grew up most of their life there so for us it's especially hard," Stanislavskyy said.

News 12 was there Friday as Shagoury, teacher Brian Kowalsky, and 10 students tallied up their final day of collections. The haul was so large, the group couldn't even finish counting before the school was dismissed. At last check, the total topped $3,000.

"It's even hard to comprehend that we've brought in that much," said student Cayden Millenson. "I feel really proud that the school can make such an impact."

Counting will wrap up next week. News 12 will keep you posted on the final number.