Fair Grove High School hosted its first ever food drive through the Proud club, led by math teacher Michael Van Cleave. This drive aimed to support a local food pantry while encouraging students to give back to their community during a busy time of year.
Proud, which has been active for four years, is a student group that focuses on involvement and service; several students regularly attend meetings and help with projects. Some of these members include Preston Hicks (12), Colton Hicks (12), McKenzie Jenkins (12), Abigail Peak (11), Aubrey Dickens (11), Savanna Odom (11), and Kylie Dallas (11). These students, along with a handful of others, have been working together to organize the food drive and spread awareness throughout the school and community.
According to Van Cleave, donations were collected during first hour classes, where boxes will be placed to make contributing easy and accessible. Students and staff are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items such as canned goods, rice, beans, pasta, and instant meals. These items are especially helpful for families in need because they last longer and can be used to create simple, filling meals.
To make the drive more engaging, Proud has created a point system. Each donated item is assigned a certain number of points, and the first-hour class with the highest total won a prize. The winning class will receive doughnuts, giving students an extra incentive to participate while also supporting a meaningful cause.
According to Van Cleave, organizing the drive itself was not difficult, but timing may bring some challenges. With many school activities happening at this time of year, participation could be lower than hoped. However, the group is still focused on collecting as many donations as possible rather than reaching a specific goal.
No contribution is too minor to make an impact on the drive’s success. Whether a student brings in a single can of soup or an entire box of pasta, every item directly helps stock the shelves of the local pantry.
