Do box tops make a difference in schools?

Children may believe that they are making a positive difference in their schools simply by collecting box tops. Of course, they would love to contribute by helping their schools raise money for the supplies that they have always wanted. Kids would beg for new P.E. balls or coolscience equipment in classrooms. Maybe they want new textbooks to learn from. Because they would do anything to get what they want, they eventually end up begging their parents to buy them numerous cereal or granola bar boxes especially for these reasons. However, these young kids do not understand that those small pieces of ten cent cardboard cutouts are overpriced for what they are really worth. Companies care more about promoting their products rather than raising money for elementary schools. Box tops are used as way to encourage parents to continuously buy particular foods for their children to make good sales for the company.

Addendum:While the above might be true, what is more true is that schools use every resource they can find. The box top and soup label programs have been very effective in helping financially strapped schools provide tools and equipment that students might not normally have. Additionally, I've never heard of a school that encouraged wanton or wasteful spending by parents and students' families to boost contributions. School staff members work very hard to find programs that will put no added burdens on families in their districts. Although there are pessimistic perspectives out there, there are greater truths available to those who seek them.

Edit: My school does up box tops and we get a lot of money from them. My family doesn't really go out of our way to buy products with box tops, we're "Oh, cool, this muffin mix we like comes with a box top!" While it may be another story for different people, it's really up to the parents to decide whather to indulge on box tops or save.