Canned food drives at Carson City schools help model generosity, caring
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Wed, 11/16/2022 - 9:27am
Today’s rising generation can increase their intelligence and learn academically from books and curriculum, but they truly only become beneficial, contributing members of society when they learn the value of charity.
Students in the Carson City School District demonstrated and learned the power of generosity during the 2022 Canned Food Drive for Friends in Service Helping (FISH). In total, nearly 10,000 food items were collected from schools and donated to those in need.
The annual charitable event, designed to fill the FISH Food Bank with products for the less fortunate, is held during the last two weeks of October. One of the main goals of the food drive is to have every student bring one can of food per day throughout the event.
“Teaching charity in our schools can show students the rewarding nature of giving back to others while making an impact in the world,” said Amy Robinson, principal of Carson Middle School. “Students have an incredible capacity for giving and kindness, especially when led by example."
Modeling is a teaching technique where an educator or parent engages students by showing them how to perform a skill while describing each step with a rationale. This provides students with both a visual and verbal example of what they are expected to do and how they should behave. Modeling is an excellent way to demonstrate a skill, or in this case an attribute, because students can physically see the activity or behavior being carried out. It can give them a better understanding of how to do it themselves, whereas if they are simply told by the teacher where things need to be placed or how to hold their arms, it’s possible that they may not understand what is required of them.
“Offering events like these, models charitable behavior and can help young people strengthen their skills for empathy, generosity and compassion without expecting anything in return,” continued Principal Robinson. “A lesson about charity also opens the door for treating others, in spite of their differences, with respect.”
Please see the individual break-down of how many food items each school collected and which classes were the leaders of their school:
— Carson High School collected 724 food items with Mrs. Cavener’s class collecting 81 total items.
— Carson Middle School collected 3,214 food items with Mrs. Whisler’s sixth-grade class collecting 849 total items.
— Eagle Valley Middle School collected 488 food items with Ms. O’Loughlin’s class collecting 157 total items.
— Bordewich Bray Elementary School collected 1,958 food items with Ms. Trautwein’s class collecting 221 total items.
— Empire Elementary School collected 624 food items with Mrs. Axelson’s fifth-grade class collecting 177 total items.
— Fremont Elementary School collected 574 food items with Ms. Shank’s class collecting 154 total items.
— Fritsch Elementary School collected 720 food items.
— Mark Twain Elementary School collected more than 500 food items as part of a family engagement event called Monster Mash.
— Seeliger Elementary School collected 1,155 food items with Mrs. Bryant-Green’s class collecting 140 total items.
