Published by Johnny Jackson on the Henry Daily Herald on August, 31, 2015.
STOCKBRIDGE — Stockbridge High students are collecting and donating food items in an effort to feed needy families now and into the future.
The school’s Cookies for Cans project is part of the Lead2Feed Challenge.
Leigh Jackson is the instructor for the career, technical and agricultural education pathway for food and nutrition at Stockbridge High. She is overseeing the service learning project, which seeks to provide sustenance to the hungry.
Students in her classroom learn about proper nutrition and healthy living through experimentation. To do that, she is asking students to help collect those resources in the form of food items.
Jackson said that when a student donates to the campaign, they receive a fresh baked cookie and a small card with information on ending hunger in return.
“It is my hope that what we collect will see us through until January, when a new group of students will go through the program,” said Jackson. “If we should collect more than we think we might need in-house, we will make a donation to the local food pantry in Stockbridge.”
The Cookies for Cans campaign melds students’ skills in the pantry with their interest in doing community service through Lead2Feed, which is designed to help shape future leaders to positively affect the local community.
“Getting the word out is imperative to this project being a success,” she said.
Lead2Feed was created by the Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning and the Lift a Life Foundation with assistance from the Yum! Foundation.
It targets middle and high school students, like those in Jackson’s classroom, who are expected to hone their leadership skills through a service learning that involves nonprofit organizations to solve community needs such as hunger.
For more information about the campaign, visit www.Lead2Feed.com.