Cans, bottles and boxes were stacked high at Clearview Elementary School last week. Cereal was mixed up with soup and macaroni was piled with spaghetti sauce. 

 

The scene wasn’t lunchtime disorganization, it was the successful completion of the food drive sponsored by the Clearview student council. 

 

Fifth grader Shayla N., who is on the Student Council and was part of the decision to hold a food drive, said it was a way to give back to the people who need it the most.

 

“I think that it makes you feel good because you’re giving to others who don’t have a lot,” said Hailey K., another fifth grader.

 

To help get students excited about the project and bringing in food, they were told the class that had the most donations would win a pizza party.

 

Fifth grader Abigail D. stated, “My teacher said our class needs to win. We want to get the pizza!”

 

Clearview student council consists of students in fourth through sixth grade. In order to become part of the group, interested students need to write a letter telling the advisor what their thoughts are and what their commitment will be. From that point two students per classroom are chosen for the year.

 

The student council meets every other week and is always planning activities. Since March is food shelf month, sponsoring a food drive was an easy decision.

 

“It makes me happy that I’m giving food to people who don’t usually have it,” said fourth grader Olivia S.

 

Fifth grader Emily S. said, “Me and my mom always do stuff for the community like volunteer.”

 

Besides performing community service, lots of learning goes with the food drive, said student council advisor and fourth grade teacher Andrea Coultier. The teachers have made it into a math and reading activity, practicing counting, graphing, writing and learning about nutrition.

 

“The food we’ve collected is going to the Clearwater/Clear Lake food shelf,” Coultier said. “The communities give so much to the school, we wanted to give something back.”

 

After it was all boxed up, delivered and weighed, Clearview students ended up bringing in 1,409 pounds of food, which the food shelf was grateful for.

 

The Clearwater/Clear Lake food shelf is located in the Lions Community Building at 1100 CR 75, Clearwater. Their hours are Mondays 5:30 to 7 p.m., Tuesdays 9 to 11 a.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., and Wednesdays 3 to 5 p.m.