Kiski Area Upper Elementary students carry on tradition of successful food drives

Students at Kiski Area Upper Elementary School donated a truckload of food to the Kiski Valley Food Bank last week.

The school’s student council — made up of fifth and sixth graders — has held a week-long food drive every January for seven years, said Katey Hummel, a fifth grade English teacher and adviser to the group. Hummel said the food drive is held after Christmas to help the Kiski Valley Food Bank “restock their shelves” after the holiday rush.

“It’s making a difference because it’s not only helping our community — it’s helping a lot of the kids within our building,” Hummel said.

Judging from the haul, it’s a big impact: The Kiski Valley Food Bank had to rent a box truck to transport all of the food from the elementary school stage to their shelves.

Jeff Garrett, an administrator with the food bank, estimated that there was at least a half ton of food that was donated.

The elementary school holds the biggest drive the food bank collects from for the entire year, he said.

“The families we have are incredibly blessed by what the students do,” Garrett said. “And the students do it with great zeal.”

Classrooms competed to see who would contribute the most items.

The winning fifth grade classroom brought in more than 300 items, and the sixth grade winners collected more than 500, Hummel said.

For Hummel, it’s inspiring to see student council members take charge to lead the drive. Many visited different classrooms to “preach” to their classmates. One student, Hummel said, promised lollipops to anyone who brought in a food item.

“It raises awareness inside themselves and those around them,” Hummel said. “They’re sensitive now to what others are going through.”

The food drive is just one example of the students’ community service efforts.

Hummel said the student council also organizes Red Ribbon Week — a campaign that prevents substance abuse and violence. They also collect donations for St. Vincent DePaul, organizes dinner baskets for families around Easter and works with Howard International Ministries to facilitate an item drive for the homeless.

Hummel said the food drive has grown every year, both in items donated and in participation from the students. She said she always feels inspired by their initiative and their determination to give back.

“The adults in the building, we may put the events together but we’re not the ones making this happen,” she said. “They surprise me every year.”