Potomac School first and second graders pictured next to their display and the food Potomac School students collected to celebrate the 100th day of school.
POTOMAC - Potomac School first and second grade classes organized a drive to donate 100 cans of food to the Potomac/Greenough (P/G) Food Bank to celebrate 100 days of school. Their 100th day was March 14. People can keep sharing by donating, according to first-graders Lily Dunn and David O'Hara.
First and second grade teacher Terri Klein had a class goal to get the students thinking about giving back to their community.
"This community gives so much to our school," Klein said.
Klein incorporated the drive into her curriculum by having the students count the food brought in each day, total it, graph it in groups of ten and learn about what it means to donate.
"Donating food means you bring food in without paying," said second-grader Westin Ployhar.
The project touched on several learning goals like making posters and presenting the project to other classrooms, according to Klein.
The students also recognized how giving, sharing and donating makes them feel.
"Donating food makes me feel happy because I know I'm helping our community," Dunn said.
Second-grader Oscar Leathers said, "I feel proud [to donate] because I know people need things."
"Donating food makes me feel proud with happiness," said second-grader Cyler Stanley.
"It makes me feel happy because people feel happy," said first grader Harrison Spethman.
After counting, Potomac students had collected 133 food items. The Missoula Food Bank employees and volunteers were so impressed with the students' efforts they matched 100 cans of food with 100 more.
The students were surprised to see the pile of donated food when they came into their classroom.
"Where did that come from?" they asked.
The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation gave a $500 Pay It Forward gift card toward the P/G Food Bank as well as binders for recipe books for food bank clients.
The Blackfoot Home and Community Club donated paper products and individual club member donations of soaps.
According to volunteers, a total of 233 food items, 60 rolls of paper products, more than 20 bars of soap, 50 pounds of canned food plus the $500 gift card were contributed to the P/G Food Bank in the month of March.
"It is incredible how the community comes together to give to the food bank," Potomac volunteers said.
For more information on volunteering or to make a donation to the P/G Food Bank call 244-3621.
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