PHOTO GALLERY: Fundraiser helps Hickman athletes

April 16, 2012 | 6:00 a.m. CDT

Columbia Public Schools makes an effort to see that varying family income levels do not affect students' participation in extracurricular activities.

Hickman High School freshman Sami Baugher holds a sign on Stadium Boulevard, publicizing Hickman baseball's pancake breakfast fundraiser on March 17. About 450 people came to the breakfast. Events such as this help the teams raise money for travel expenses or equipment purchases. | Nick Agro

Hickman freshmen Seth Gerady and Aaron Henry wash tables at Applebee's during Hickman baseball's third annual pancake breakfast fundraiser on March 17. The team raised $2,300 at the event. | Nick Agro

Patrons line up outside Applebee's for a Hickman baseball team pancake breakfast fundraiser on March 17. Each year, the sports teams at Hickman and Rock Bridge high schools raise money for extra expenses the student athletes incur while playing their sports. | Nick Agro

Hickman High School football coach Arnel Monroe keeps a bin of used football cleats in a storage building at the high school so that players can borrow cleats from the school if they aren't able to purchase their own because of the expense. | Megan May