Class trip money stolen from fifth graders

SOUTHPORT -- Every year fifth graders at Southport Christian School raise money for a class trip to Williamsburg. This year their hard work may not pay off. Nearly $10,000 in cash and merchandise is gone, taken from these fifth graders who worked all year to save up for their class trip. Fifth-grader Georgianna Watson said, "Who would steal something from kids? I mean, really?" Fifth-grader Hannah Jones said, "It took them a really long time to raise the money and we got it so fast and to be taken away like that is just, you know…" The kids spent all year raising money and anticipating the fun they'll have at Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens. Parent and teacher Cindy Aldridge said, "It wasn't even the school's money, it was the children's money. That they worked for, and it was unbelievable to me that someone could do something like that." School Principal Lisa Kjome says she thinks the theft happened Sunday night... She suspects someone snuck in through this window, into the office where the money was locked away... Before the robbery this safe held gold graduation necklaces, tickets to Busch Gardens and $4,000 cash. Now, that's all gone." Georgianna said, "We worked really hard for that money. We did dinners, we did Christmas cottages and most of it gone, that's devastating." Kjome says the school and the students are determined to take their trip. The students have been fundraising to make up for the setback. Kjome said, "You know, we're a small school, it's not like we have a big savings fund or anything." School administrators didn't realize they'd been robbed until Wednesday. Kjome filed a report with Brunswick County sheriff's detectives, who are now investigating the case. If you have any information that could help call the sheriff's office at 253- 2777.