Principal spends night on roof after losing bet to students

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (WJBK) - A principal in Farmington Hills lost a bet with his students, so he had to spend the night on the roof.

Principal Steve Vercellino at Forest Elementary School, or Mr. V as the kids call him, challenged his kids to raising $20,000 for their school. He didn't think the kids could do it, but they rose to the occassion.

"I made a challenge and I lost," he says. "But actually, I won -- because the kids raised $20,000."

Vercellino started setting up camp on the school's roof Thursday at 3 p.m. He had to come down for a few hours for Parent Teacher Conferences, but then went right back up. His set up included a tent, pizza, coffee and even an end table with a lamp.

Temperatures got down in the low 40s overnight, and he admits he got pretty cold -- but not to tell the kids that.

"I don't want to think they won in that part, that they tortured me," he laughed. "It's a little chilly."

Vercellino tells us the money is put right back into the kids' school, and helps pay for things like books, technology and their ice cream social.

Last year, he ate chocolate covered worms and grasshoppers after the challenge. We'll see what he'll be up to in 2018.