It is not everyday you meet a high school student running a non-profit. Early in the pandemic we met Mark Copple, the founder of Nickel by Nickel.
Now a senior at Crean Lutheran High School in Irvine, California, Copple collected and redeemed 5,000 cans and bottles in order to raise $250 for Team Dayā. We are excited to share our interview with Mark and to put his investment to work during our upcoming school build in Senegal, West Africa.
Please meet Mark Copple:
Team Dayā: Introduce Yourself.
Copple: My name is Mark Copple and I am 17. I am a senior at Crean Lutheran High School in Irvine, California.
Team Dayā: You founded your own non-profit called Nickel by Nickel Corporation – tell us about it.
Copple: My nonprofit works to collect bottles – aluminum, plastic, and glass – and redeem them for the CRV value. This is then donated to various charities, Team Dayā is one of them, in order to make a difference. I started this charity about five years ago with my father, and I work on it mainly on the weekends.
Team Dayā: What inspired you to start Nickel by Nickel?
Copple: I used to go door to door in the neighborhood collecting bottles in my toy wheelbarrow. I then figured that I could make a difference doing this, which is how Nickel by Nickel was born.
Team Dayā: Where do you find all the bottles and cans to collect, redeem and recycle?
Copple: I save them from home, collect them from various people I have agreements with, and also collect them from my school.
Team Dayā: Recently Nickel by Nickel donated $250 to Team Dayā – thank you! Your gift will pay for all the nails, nuts, and bolts to build the roof of our next school. What appeals to you about Team Dayā and its mission?
Copple: Education should be everyone’s top priority. A society cannot function without an educated population, and it is great that you are building schools and providing people with education.
Team Dayā: For one of your peers, or for an adult, what advice would you give to someone who has dreamt of starting a non-profit project to give back?
Copple: I would say that it is important to note that it is a lot of work. If you are not willing to do the work, it will be very difficult. However, if you are willing to do the work, it is very rewarding to give back.
Team Dayā:Thank you Mark!
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