A group of Maple Street School students wanted a swimming pool, even if they may never set foot in it.

Fourth- through sixth-graders at the Hopkinton school organized a fundraiser for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, specifically for a 9-year-old cancer patient, Samantha.

Samantha’s wish is to have a pool she can swim in for the summer, and to have it built by the beginning of July.

Maple Street guidance counselor Mary-Chris Duncan and her group of peer leaders wanted to find a way to donate to Make-a-Wish, but with a personal connection.

The foundation’s Manchester branch led Duncan to Samantha’s wish, and the school began fundraising in the beginning of May.

“We knew we couldn’t come up with the funds for the whole pool, but we said we would raise as much as we could and have it matched by some corporate sponsors,” Duncan said. “We raised some money with daily donations.”

Students made donations in each classroom and for three Tuesdays during the month, Duncan helped organize a table at the school with healthy snacks and treats for sale.

A parent of one of the students involved with the fundraiser agreed to match whatever the students raised during the “Tuesday Treats” sales, bringing the total to about $300.

In total, the school raised $800 to donate to Samantha in about three weeks of work.

“It’s very heartening. The kids were very enthusiastic about this,” said Duncan. “It’s a very busy time of the school year and, quite frankly, I wasn’t sure how a fundrasier would go in May.”

The peer leaders were also joined by the Friends of Rachel Club at the school, with the two groups heading the fundraising efforts.

For every $5 students donated, Duncan added a paper link to a chain that began in her office and stretched down the hallway. Each piece signified a positive chain reaction of kindness and was decorated with a personal message from a student.

“They would check and count the links, and it was also like a math thing.,” Duncan said. “Even kids not part of the fundraiser would check the links. The kids in the school were excited to do something for Samantha.”

Duncan said the fundraiser affected more than one child.

“I think any time you allow kids to help out someone else, particularly another child, that’s huge. For them it’s very positive and very powerful. Kids like to help others and give back,” she said. “It was something that created a lot of positive energy in the school.”