Mike Hayes proved he was smart in his first year at college．In 2007, 　　1　　 he was a student at the University of Illinois, he came up with an idea to 　　2　　 his tuition fee(学费)and college costs problem．Hayes 　　3　　 everyone could afford to give him a penny．

　　He wrote to Chicago Tribune writer Bob Greene．Hayes wanted each of the newspaper's 　　4　　 to send him a penny．Greene thought the idea sounded 　　5　　 and agreed to do it．

　　“Just one penny,”Hayes said．“A penny doesn't 　　6　　 anything to anyone．If everyone 　　7　　 is reading your paper looks around the room right now, there will be a 　　8　　 under a seat, or on the corner of the desk, or on the floor．That's all I'm 　　9　　．A penny from each of your readers．”

　　In less than a month, the Many Pennies for Mike Fund(基金)had around 2.3 million pennies．Not everyone sent 　　10　　 a penny, many even sent dollars．Money was 　　11　　 from every state in the United States．So, Hayes 　　12　　 his ＄28,000 target(目标)and went on to get 　　13　　 for his degree in food science from the University of Illinois．

　　Perhaps the last 　　14　　 is best left to his father, Bill Hayes：“When Mike first told me about his 　　15　　, I just laughed and said that I thought it was foolish-which shows you that he's smarter than I am．”