Millikan High School senior Jackson Alexander recently made a $4,400 donation to the Long Beach Rescue Mission, part of his senior project at the school’s QUEST magnet program. His goal was to raise money for a charity he found important while doing something that he loved.

“Following the motto ‘Do what you love’ works well for me, so that’s just what I did,” said Alexander. “I wanted to help the homeless population in the community, and I’m a major Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast—my project brought both of those interests together.”

At Alexander’s house in East Long Beach, he hosted a 25-hour long D&D-a-Thon just a few weeks before COVID-19 shut down the city’s schools. He brought in sponsors and had donations coming in throughout the 25 hours, which was livestreamed so that fellow students and friends could watch online and chip in.

Millikan senior Jackson Alexander with a $4,400 check for the Long Beach Rescue Mission. Courtesy photo.

“One of the best moments was when my teacher Thomas Lind joined the game for a few hours,” said Alexander.

Alexander also raised money at an on-campus video game lounge with a silent auction. The event brought in 60 people and another $1,600, allowing him to make the sizable donation to the LBRM and Executive Director Robert Probst.

“Complications from the coronavirus made the check presentation ceremony a bust, but I did finally present them with a check,” said Alexander, who was informed by his teacher that the $4,400 donation was the largest amount raised by any of the senior projects in the decades-long history of QUEST.