Glen Crest Middle School is collecting food, personal supplies, and birthday-bag items in an all-school competition to benefit Glen House Food Pantry. Students will be collecting items at the school through December 5.
Glen Crest students are collecting the following unopened items:
Sixth-grade students are collecting items for the birthday bags that Glen House distributes, including cake mix, candles, frosting, and small packs of napkins or plates.
Seventh-grade students are collecting food items, including boxed cereal, canned chicken, canned corn, canned fruit, canned ravioli, cooking oil, jelly, macaroni and cheese, oatmeal, and sugar.
Eighth-grade students are collecting personal items, including tissues, soap (bar soap, hand soap, and small dish soaps), toilet paper, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.
(Donors can also send cash, checks, or Wal-Mart gift cards to the school’s main office, 725 Sheehan Avenue, Glen Ellyn, care of literacy teacher Nicole Cannizzo.)
This community-service initiative is part of Glen Crest’s new Wednesday advisory program. During the 30-minute advisory time, small groups of students participate in social-emotional lessons around character traits such as kindness and responsibility. Once a month, the students participate in an all-school “Spartan Focus”. The Glen House Food Pantry project launched out of November’s Spartan Focus session.
“It’s really fun to work on something different in your advisory,” said eighth grader Penny Callahan. “We’re all doing something to help other people. It’s a good way to show spirit in your school.”
Glen Crest English teacher Nicole Cannizzo said students are leading all parts of the collection, including advertising, collections, and packing. Posters have been put up around the school, and collection boxes have been placed in most classrooms.
“Most people in this school are fortunate to have food on the table, and so there are a lot of people we can help,” said Glen Crest eighth-grade student Henry Bronstein. “Being able to have the opportunity to help other people is really important.”
It’s not yet decided what the winning grade will earn, but Cannizzo said some students have requested a special prize: the opportunity to participate in another service project.