Student Council is hosting the annual food drive through Oct. 30. All non-perishable goods are to be brought to fourth period classrooms and left for the council to collect.

“Classes bring any non-perishable foods, except for flour and sugar, and give them to their 4th period,”student council co-president Bethany Deupree said.

The food brought in will be collected and counted, then transported for distribution. All goods will be given out to families in need. 

“We’re donating the food to the Davis Powell Food Pantry over at the First United Methodist Church,” student council co-president Wake Thrasher-Evers said. “We’re also splitting the food with East Texas Food Bank in Tyler to help everyone out as much as possible.”

Everyone is responsible for bringing their own cans to their fourth period classes. The management of the food drive is hosted and mostly carried out by members of the Student Council.

“To me, the purpose of the food drive is to give back to our community,” Deupree said. “With the pandemic, many people are suffering financially and can’t provide for their family, so with us collecting food, giving meals to the hungry is crucial in this time of hurt.”

The opportunity to give and give back to the community spreads across all grade levels, where the class with the most donations will receive a prize. The three classes with the most cans get prizes when the drive is over on Oct. 30.

“The way we’re doing it this year is different,” Thrasher-Evers said. “Is the fourth period that collects the most cans, gets first place and a pizza party. Second place class wins ice cream, and third wins cookies.”

Friendly competition brings the grades together even in a time of social distancing. The struggles people are going through are relieved a little bit by donations.

“I think this is a wonderful opportunity to help our community,” English teacher Mrs. Ramsey said. “Now, more than ever, many in our community are struggling with unemployment and financial struggles due to the pandemic, so donating is a huge help.”