Heather Cory

From left to right, members of the Thurman White Middle School student council and National Junior Honor Society Lakshmeeramya Malladi, Allessandra Brice, Anthony Ku, Lindy Eskin, Ariana Marciel and Linh Foschi hold armfuls of food collected for the holidays.

By Frances Vanderploeg

Thu, Nov 20, 2008 (midnight)

Students at Thurman White Middle School have found ways to help their peers at White and other Henderson schools.

They held a canned food drive, and while many schools in Clark County may do the same thing during the holidays, White's students have made helping the children of their neighborhoods a priority.

"I like the feeling of helping kids out that can't eat," said Linh Foschi, 14, who brought two cases of water and five boxes of food for the first day of the drive, Nov. 12.

All of the food and water was donated to the Caring 4 Kids Foundation, which redistributes it into backpacks for Henderson children to take home at the end of the week for weekend meals, teacher Marcia Sebulsky said.

Some of the items they solicited through Wednesday included cheese and crackers, fruit cups and snacks, granola bars, and Snack Packs pudding cups.

"They're asking for items that you don't have to heat up and that are easy to open," Anthony Ku, 12, said.

The students sponsoring the drive are from the school's National Junior Honor Society and student council. To get the word out, they made posters listing what can be accepted and broadcast it through the TV announcements three mornings each week, along with a scrolling announcement throughout the day.

Alessandra Brice, 13, said she and friend Lindy Eskin, 12, had participated in a similar drive in elementary school, so they were already aware of the importance. Honor society and student council students said, in addition to announcements, they had been talking to their friends, parents and churches to solicit additional help.

Others said they just looked into their pantry and easily found foods they don't eat that someone else might enjoy.

"You don't have to go out and buy anything," Lindy said.

Frances Vanderploeg can be reached at 990-2660 or frances.vanderploeg@hbcpub.com.