CFHS, HJH on Schools in Need of Assistance list

Aubrey Caruso/Staff Writer

Cedar Falls High School is taking a shot toward targeting hunger by teaming up with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank for the next five weeks. With last year’s donations reaching over 23,000 pounds just from Cedar Falls High School, the goal this year is to get everyone involved in this activity to help the Cedar Valley feed the hungry.

Cedar Falls chose to hold this food drive after English teacher Diane Flaherty and guidance counselor Ryan Flaherty participated in this area-wide food drive at Davenport West, when Diane was a teacher and Ryan was a student. The last day for this food drive will be Nov. 12 and the weigh-in will be Nov. 13.

“The competition is always a fun way to raise awareness and get young people involved. There are about 37,000 people in the Cedar Valley who use the Food Bank on a regular basis,” Students for Social Responsibility adviser Teresa Martin said.

All donated food should be canned according to Flaherty.

Once again Cedar Falls is competing with Waverly-Shell Rock, Waterloo East and Waterloo West for the most food donated. Last year, these schools raised a grand total of over 60,000 pounds.

As the defending champion, all expectations are high for Cedar Falls. All donations are collected in the students’ third period classes, running the entire length of the food drive. All classes compete for the highest number of food items per student, with prize incentives to winning class participants.

After the first week of the drive last week, English teacher Doug Wilkinson’s class turned in the most food and claimed prizes of candy bars and buttons promoting the drive.

“It was brought to my attention that the rest of the faculty is scared of our third hour class. I don’t blame them. We’re focused and driven to destroy our competition. Weak as they are, we refure to show mercy,” Wilkinson said.

Last year Wilkinson’s class was one of the top three finishers in the competition.
During lunch shifts various activities will also be held to get everyone involved.

To raise extra money there will be can collecting at a home football game, games being held in the lunchroom, a penny war and a Halloween dance. Each week different leadership groups help to sponsor activities during the drive. KWWL will also have a news broadcast with three students involved in the food drive later in October.

The high school will also accept any canned donations from the community. Any monetary donations go directly toward purchasing food, and checks should be made out to Cedar Falls High School.