My children go to public school in New York City. As in many school systems across America, parents help raise vital funding each year to complement the often scarce resources provided by the public school system. In my community, the biggest fund-raising event of the year is the annual school auction featuring live and silent bidding. The silent auction part is simple:  Items donated by local businesses and generous individuals are displayed on a table next to a bidding sheet.  Bidders compete by writing their names, paddle number, and price on the sheet.  At the end of the night, the prize goes to the highest bidder.