Windsong Heights' second-grade students are learning about helping the community through a food drive they are putting together in the month of April.

Second-grade teacher Maryelle Data explains why the food drive is a great way to teach an important lesson.

"Since our grade 2 students are learning about Alberta communities, I think the food drive is a great opportunity to get them involved in a first-hand experience of what it means to be an active member of our community. We have all four grade 2 classes taking over different food drive jobs throughout the food drive month. We have different jobs like news reporters, newspaper crews, collectors, baggers, photographers, and loaders. We also need people to weigh in donations, set up tents, create posters, PA announcements, and other jobs. Everyone has a role."

Student Kelsey Liverpool agrees and says that the students want to be active in the community.

"It is also important, as Windsong Wolves, to be involved in our community. We want our school community, the Wolves, to learn about the food bank and realize the needs in our community. We choose to make this a school-wide initiative to encourage everyone to participate in this good cause. We will have an assembly at the end of March to 'pump up' our wolf packs. We have Tundra, Timber, Grey, Red, Arctic, Himalayan, Tibetan, and Yukon packs. We are adding a friendly competition to this event. The wolf pack with the most donations (variety and weight) will win a pizza party. The runner up will get freezes"

Pavraj Brar, another grade 2 student, says helping out the food bank with a large event like this helps the overall community as well.

"Supporting the food bank with this food drive helps us connect with our larger community. We are a neighbourhood school and we need to help and support our community. There might be families in our school and community who may need to use the food bank."

Classmate Cynthia Jensen says that the prior year saw a large number of donations, but this year the school wants to top it.

"We are a K-8 school with about 950 students. Last year, we collected 2.3 tonnes worth of donations. This is as heavy as a hippopotamus or a small car! The goal this year is to help our local community by sending in donations and to reach/beat last year's record since we've gotten bigger. We want to fill at least three large tents with the donated items this year."

Student Pyper Emo explains what can and can't be donated.

"We hope to collect a good variety of items that the food bank needs: baby items such as diapers and formula, snacks, canned goods, baking items, pasta, and bathroom supplies," says Emo. "Please help the Windsong Wolf Packs support our community food bank and cheer on the Wolves as they pack up the hunger in our community. Please donate with expiry dates in mind. If you wouldn't eat it, don't donate it."

Each student says they are very excited to participate in the food drive.

"(I'm excited about) helping people, especially kids, to have a good healthy lunch every day," says Jensen

Brar says he's excited to help out.

"I'm excited to donate to others and help our school during the food drive."

Emo says she was excited about her specific role in an advertisement video the school made.

"I'm excited about kids in schools and in Airdrie (being able) to have healthy food. I also got to pretend to be the admin in our advertisement video."

Liverpool says she's excited to see the school work together.

"I'm excited to see all (the) packs (...) donating and that we get to take on big jobs in school."

 

Comments? Questions? Story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com