Inside the front of the main office sits secretary Dawn Thompson, who almost jumps out of her seat at every student who walks through the door, saying “did you turn in your federal card?” as she waves the pink stamped card around in the air.

“The government will give us the money back so parents don’t have to pay,” Thompson said. “It’s really important, but students don’t realize that.”

Thompson explains that some students never turn their cards in and it’s stressful on everyone in the office. She calls dozens of students down each day to ask them where their federal card is and often ends up giving them a new one because they have been lost.

“If they’re missing their cards, I have to contact them,” she said. “If they are military it’s easier to get in contact with them, and we get extra money for the kids that live on base, so it’s really important.”

Lynette Copp, a teacher aide, says she is always reminding everyone about the federal cards.

“Dawn reminds every person that walks through the door, they really are important. I wish the kids would just turn them in so we could get it over with,” Copp said.

As of 1:10 p.m. on Nov. 18 there were still 411 federal cards out. Thompson counts through the pile of pink cards that line the counter behind her desk and sighs in disbelief.  

“I’ll be sent to the looney bin, and it’ll because of these federal cards.”