Posted 11:32 am Thursday, October 29, 2009
Area High School Students Organize For Food Drive
By MEGAN MIDDLETON
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
This year's Pantry Raid competition between John Tyler and Robert E. Lee high schools may be more important than ever as more and more people are needing help in this economy, an East Texas Food Bank official said.
Students from both Tyler ISD high schools have been scouring the community to help collect canned food as part of the 19th annual competition that benefits the East Texas Food Bank.
Sophomore Class President Alston Martell, Joseph Seeber and Valedictorian Jason McCloskey sort cans at Robert E. Lee High School on Wednesday.
The results of the competition will be announced during halftime of the Robert E. Lee and John Tyler football game Friday.
Robert Bush, executive director of the food bank, said the Pantry Raid is one of the organization's biggest food drives each year.
"This year, especially, demand for food is up in a way that we've never experienced in the 20 years of our history," Bush said. "We really just need the community to help us feed more people."
This competition is allowing students to "help their neighbors in need," he said.
"This competition this year, given what's happening in the economy, is more important than ever before," he said. "It's not a small number of people that are needing help -- and many for the first time."
The school that collects the most pounds of food per student earns "bragging rights," but students know that the competition is really about supporting a good cause.
"The competition isn't really about us," said Megan Maxson, who is a part of the food drive effort at John Tyler. "It's just something fun to do. Our football boys are already competing as cross-town rivals, so why not just benefit others by competing for the East Texas Food Bank."
Grace Weathers, who is a part of the food drive effort at Robert E. Lee, agrees it's a friendly competition.
"It brings the people of our town in to help the less fortunate, which is really a great cause," Miss Weathers said.
During the last 18 years, students have collected more than 799,000 pounds of food for the food bank as part of the competition.
Bush said students have made a "big impact" in all the years of the Pantry Raid competition.
"It's exciting for us to see the younger generation not just talking about caring about their community and making a difference, they're doing it today," he said. "They're taking an active role in solving a community problem."
Although the contest is friendly, student leaders at both schools take it seriously.
John Tyler has won the competition the last two years and is hoping to continue the streak.
"We have to keep this trophy at John Tyler," Miss Maxson said.
At Robert E. Lee, students are hoping to win back the trophy this year, Miss Weathers said.
"But it's always just friendly, and it's for a great cause no matter who the winner is," she added.
Both schools are tapping their fellow students, students from their feeder elementary and middle schools as well as their communities for cans.
John Tyler has used incentives to help entice students to bring cans. Some classrooms are offering an additional five points on a daily grade, and cupcakes are going to the homeroom that contributes the most.
Miss Maxson said their feeder schools are also offering incentives to students. The grade level at Ramey Elementary that brings the most cans gets to attend John Tyler's pep rally on Friday, she said. John Tyler students also plan to go trick-or-treating for cans on Thursday night.
At Lee, efforts began at the beginning of October, delivering bags to neighborhood homes and accepting donations from the community as well as collecting cans from the student body. Miss Weathers said Lee's elementary and middle schools have also helped.
The homeroom class at Lee that collects the most cans wins a pizza party.
Both student leaders said they are confident in their efforts. And they are glad to help the East Texas Food Bank and those who are in need of a helping hand.
"You always want to help that person who doesn't have as much as you because that could be you one day who needs something," Miss Maxson said. "And you're going to want others to reach out to you like we're reaching out to them, right now."
