In just four days, 1,750 canned food items were collected during Agriculture Success Week at Brownstown Elementary School.
That’s 500 more cans than last year, organizer Macey Stuckwisch said.
Molly Davis, one of the school’s guidance counselors, assisted by contacting families in need from the school and helped distribute the food to nine families.
“The families came into the school, were given a box of protein items and chose the other items they needed in a grocery store style,” Stuckwisch said.
In addition, 580 pounds of food were donated to Anchor House Family Assistance Center and Pantry in Seymour.
Stuckwisch collaborated with Davis and Denise Stevens, another guidance counselor at BES, to count, move and distribute the canned food items. Stevens had student council members assist in the initial counting and moving of the items.
To prepare the cans for the families to come pick up, students from the Boys & Girls Club after-school program helped sort them into categories: Noodles, protein, fruit, vegetables and soups.
Winning a Snappy Tomato Pizza pizza party for bringing in 299 cans was Allison Wheeler’s 4C class, and preschool received a snack party for placing second with 291 cans.
Rose Acre Farms donated items for students to win for bringing in canned food items, Brownstown Hardware donated propellers and Lucas-Ackerman Supply Co. donated a hummingbird feeder.
Premier Ag donated many items so every student would win a prize. That included coloring books for preschool, Pop-Its for kindergarten, first grade and second grade and sunglasses for fourth and fifth grades.
Also during the week, Stuckwisch collaborated with art teacher Mendy Stahl, who had students create farm art for a mural while learning about agriculture, and makerspace teacher Paul Ruddick, who printed tractors and barns for students to purchase throughout the week.
The theme for the agriculture-themed mural was “Mr. Young Had a Farm E-I-E-I-O. And on That Farm He Raised…”
“Students had many activities to participate in, including a coloring contest and dress-up days,” Stuckwisch said. “Staff was encouraged to participate in the dress-up days and had a door decorating contest.”
Tonya Fee’s 1A class won the door decorating contest. Their door was completely decorated by the students. Fee won a gift card to Kay’s Kafe.
Five coloring contest winners each received Premier Ag sunglasses.
“Overall, the week was very successful, and I am proud of the many people who helped make this week possible,” Stuckwisch said.