With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the Prairie Ridge seniors have decided to contribute to the community once again through the third annual school-wide food drive, from Nov. 12th to Nov. 16th.
“We really try to give back,” explained Mrs. Buck, who has sponsored the senior projects over the past three years. “That has been our main goal. It’s not just about giving back to PR, but it’s about giving back to the community.”
Senior Courtney Lefevre, one of the individuals responsible for organizing the drive as part of the Senior Project, agreed. “Especially during this time of year, it’s really nice to give back to those who are less fortunate. They are really thankful for it,” she explained.
The past two years the food drive has been an overall success. From the 3,000 lbs of food collected in the first year to half that amount the second year, both the PR students and teachers have combined their efforts towards a good cause. “We have never picked up a single box that was empty,” stated Mrs. Buck.
In addition, organizers have received a lot of positive feedback on the drive. “Everyone liked the convenience of being able to donate right here at school,” described Mrs. Buck. “Teachers and students liked the idea of the competition and incentive to get more students involved.”
This year, though, the food drive is not just a competition among PR students. “The Jaycees are hosting a competition among all Crystal Lake schools,” said Mrs. Buck. “They will give a trophy to the school with the most items donated.”
The seniors involved in organizing the food drive–Tyler Kendall, Courtney Lefevre, Gabby Simm, Jordan Getzelman, Christina Kappil, Maddy Kane, and Franni Famolaro–are extremely excited for the entire week and the results.
“I have heard that Grayslake Central High School collected 6,000 lbs of goods for a food drive before,” said Courtney. “I hope that we can do something like that and really make a difference by collecting a record-breaking amount of food.”
Boxes to collect food will be in each homeroom class until Friday. Items accepted include nonperishable food items, personal care supplies, and paper products.
“The hope that we have this year is the hope that we have every year–to get every student to donate so that we can help out as many families as we can,” expressed Mrs. Buck.
