RAISING CASH FOR COLUMBINE; JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS THROW TOGETHER FUND-RAISER, EARN $437.

Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer

A hastily arranged student fund-raiser to benefit Columbine High School, site of last month's deadly shooting rampage by two teen gunmen, netted donations of $437 from La Mesa Junior High youths and parents.

The 18 students in the school's leadership class came up with the idea on Monday, and the collection was taken up beginning Wednesday night at La Mesa's annual open house. Everybody who slipped money into the big cardboard box, with a slot cut in the top, received a blue ribbon to commemorate the 12 students and one teacher who were shot to death during the April 20 siege in Littleton, Colo.

The shooters, Columbine seniors Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, then committed suicide.

Teacher Liz Caddow said La Mesa students wanted to do something nice as a show of sympathy and solidarity with the Columbine High youths who endured a terrifying ordeal. Eighth-grader Ross Hunter suggested the student council take up a collection for the Colorado school.

``We're sending it to the library, to refurbish it. There aren't enough books there because of all the bombs,'' explained Omo Terry, 13.

The donations from La Mesa - with an enrollment of 1,270 seventh- and eighth-graders - will be sent along with a note of condolence. Caddow said the students felt the donated funds could best be used toward getting the Columbine High School library - site of much of the carnage - back to its former condition.

``I've never held this much money in my entire life,'' said eighth-grader Laura Gapper, 13, as she and classmate Ryan Pratt, 13, sorted the bills into $1, $5 and $20 piles. Alongside them, Omo and Amber Powell, 14, scooped up $27 in quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies out of the collection box.

Three donors wrote checks, for $10, $20 and $25, as parents toured the school during open house. The collection continued Thursday on campus, giving students a chance to contribute.

The shootings by Klebold and Harris, who reportedly wanted to retaliate for their years as school outsiders, touched a nerve with the La Mesa students just a few years younger than the Columbine victims.

``I just don't know what our society is coming to . . . just to get attention, just because they were being made fun of,'' Amber lamented.

``How could the parents not know about it? They had bombs and guns,'' Ryan added.

He said he hoped the Columbine students would be surprised and heartened by the La Mesa donations, one of many demonstrations of public support in the past few weeks. ``My favorite hockey team wears a patch that says `CHS' on their sleeve,'' Ryan added, referring to the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League.

``Some people are saying, Why don't they just bulldoze the whole school down?'' he said.

``I don't see why anyone would do something like that. There's so much life that was lost and wasted,'' Laura said. ``I think (the shooters) got off easy by killing themselves.''

Omo speculated Harris and Klebold probably would have carried out their plan, whether or not they were able to build and stockpile weapons under their parents' roof. ``If you have that much rage in your heart, then you'll find a way to do that,'' he said.

Perhaps the tragedy will leave some lessons in its wake. ``It teaches all of us to treat each other equally,'' Omo said.

Ryan offered words of encouragement to the survivors. ``Be strong, and hopefully it won't happen again,'' he said.

``My message would be . . . you have to try to live on and forget about all the bad things,'' Omo added. ``And our prayers are with you.''

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PHOTO (Color) From left, Laura Gapper, Amber Powell, Melisa Pabst and Ryan Pratt count money they raised for Columbine High students.

John Lazar/Daily News