By: Lucy Cronin and Sophia Feldman

Amidst this holiday season, the Student Government Association wraps up another successful year of their food drive, which ended in over 2,200 pounds of food being donated to the Howard County Food Bank. Helping add to students’ sense of holiday cheer, the drive ran throughout November in a competitive style, with a race to see which first-period class could bring in the most donations. The three classes that brought in the most donations were rewarded with a Chick-fil-A breakfast on November 19th, a delicious way to celebrate giving back to the local community.

Each holiday season, many families around the world deal with hunger. From socio-economic problems to political and environmental factors, unfortunate families endure the struggle to make ends meet. According to No Kid Hungry, an estimated 14 million American children live in food-insecure households, a number that continues to rise daily. Food donations help to combat the struggles underprivileged children face all around us, and make the holiday season more enjoyable for all. MRHS is determined to contribute to inclusivity in the world, and simple canned donations can make all the difference.

This year’s winner, Mr. Frank, an English teacher, encouraged his students enough to collect over 744 pounds in his class alone, enough to feed hundreds of children within the county. For him, the drive is a way to satisfy the simple necessity of food, one that too many people struggle to get. He chose to motivate students by telling them he would shave his beard if they won, a humorous and unique way to incentivize students.

“Everyone needs food, as it’s part of the hierarchy of needs. Of the charitable organizations that we try to help with, many of them don’t matter without food, water, and shelter. The idea of making sure people have enough to eat has always been very important to me for that reason,” Mr. Frank explains.

Each year, history teacher Mr. Khouri is known for being one of the most excited teachers to participate in the drive, repeatedly coming out on top. Despite his loss this year, he can admire the difference food drives make in our community and understand the value of getting students involved in them. His class was able to bring in 468 pounds of goods, showing how motivation and determination lead to success.

“The Food Drive is one of the ways the whole school can come together to compete, but also create a common goal. [At MRHS], we’re so privileged, so sharing with people less fortunate is very important,” Khouri shares.

For the students in the winning classes, the drive was worth more than just a celebratory breakfast. Knowing they helped create an impact on those in need can be just as much, if not more, rewarding.

“Mr. Frank really encouraged us to bring in donations. I brought in ramen and chicken noodle soup, just simple stuff, but knowing that I’m making a difference is really cool, especially during this time of year. Being incentivized with Chick-fil-A only added to the fun,” senior Grace Kang says.

The Chick-fil-A reward was not only a fun experience, but a testament to the fact that what goes around comes around, and no good deed goes unrewarded.

The SGA food drive is one of many donation drives run during November of each year, and bringing in as much as a single soup can make a difference for those in need. Getting students excited creates a pattern of giving back and helps those who need it most during a time of year that all should be able to enjoy.