Cedar North Elementary students collect over 2,000 food items to donate ‘from the heart’

CEDAR CITY — Students at Cedar North Elementary have been celebrating Valentines Day this year by taking part in a schoolwide food drive called “Feeding from the Heart.”

Cedar North Elementary students place donated food items into collection bins, Cedar City, Utah, Feb. 7, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

The first day of the week-long drive, Feb. 7, was called “Powerful Protein Day,” and students brought peanut butter, canned beans, soups and chili and dropped it off into plastic bins located at the base of the staircase in the school’s main entryway.

The drive continued over four more school days, with Thursday being “Fantastic Fruits Day,” Friday being “Vibrant Veggies Day,” Monday being “Great Grains Day” and Tuesday being “Dynamite Dessert Day.”

Fifth-grader Elli Snyder, president of the Student Leadership Team, said the goal was to collect 2,018 food items, adding that the grade level that ended up bringing the most items would win a pajama and movie party in the school library.

While it was a tight race between second and fifth grade right up to Tuesday morning, Katherine Bleak, the school’s life skills coach and adviser for the Student Leadership Team, said that after Tuesday’s items were counted, the second grade class was the overall winner with 633 items. Fifth-graders came in second place with 560 items, and the kindergartners placed third with 301 items.

The schoolwide total was 2,119 items collected, Bleak said, meaning they exceeded their goal by 101 items.

“The kids did such a great job organizing this food drive,” she said. ” I couldn’t be prouder of the kids, staff and parents of North Elementary.”

Cedar North Elementary Principal Raymond Whittier (far left) checks with students on status of donated food items, Cedar City, Utah, Feb. 7, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Principal Raymond Whittier echoed these sentiments.

“The kids are taking charge and making it happen,” he said. “We’re thrilled to be of a little bit of service to the community.”

The food is scheduled to be picked up on Valentines Day by workers from Iron County Care and Share.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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