The Panorama Schools began a district-wide food drive on Monday, and FCCLA participants in the high school have really gotten behind the district’s efforts.

The group, which stands for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, has turned the food drive into a bit of competition in the high school, pitting different literature blocks against each other to see which class can donate the most food and money to local food pantries in the area.

FCCLA Advisor Shari Hernandez says she’s proud of her students for taking ownership of the responsibility to take care of people in the local area.

“I mean it’s awesome to feed the children in Africa–love that idea, but how can we help in our own homes and in our own communities because let’s face it…it’s tackling not so much homelessness because that’s a bigger issue but just (helping) people that are hungry in our own central Iowa.  There are some that we found out about.”

Hernandez has 12 FCCLA students in the high school, and she praises them for continually going above and beyond to better the lives of others, be they from local communities or not.

“It’s student driven and it’s a great group of kids who are very self-motivated.  They’re busy kids but they’ve taken their time to do other things.  We come in early in the morning, we come in after school… you know they’re doing things outside their own four walls which is pretty amazing for today’s youth.”

The high school has been asked to collect sugar, dried milk and dried beans as the primary foods it will donate to local food pantries in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons, but Hernandez adds that any food will be accepted if families are willing to support the cause.

The Panorama food drive will run until Monday, November 18th.