AUBURN — Auburn Middle School students Amanda Rivas and Courtney Adamen, 14, stayed after school many times this month to organize boxes of food and clothing for needy families.

“I felt it would be cool to help others out,” Rivas said.

“Some parents don’t have enough money to get new clothes,” Adamen said.

Katie Laflamme, 13, helped run the student penny drive to buy gift cards for families down on their luck. Part of her work was to roll a mountain of coins.

“I like helping people,” Laflamme said. “It’s a nice thing to do.”

As students looked forward to Thanksgiving feasts, many were thinking of others with less and getting in the spirit of giving.
Just about every school said their students did something to help others.

• At Fairview Elementary in Auburn, students, parents and staff collected cash, boxes of food and gently used clothing to give to families in need.

• At Lewiston High School, the Student Council held a food drive last week to benefit a local food pantry. And, the school’s Army Cadets volunteered to staff the “Pack the Bus” food drive at Shaw’s last weekend, Principal Gus LeBlanc said.

• The Lewiston Middle School Student Council organized an effort to give to the Good Shepherd Food-Bank. On three Fridays in November they held “hat days,” on which students paid $1 or brought in canned food, Principal Maureen Lachapelle said.

• In Oxford schools, students and staff donated food and baskets to help needy families. Also, a group of students who ride the same school bus helped a family who lost their home in a fire last week, Transportation Director Glenn Sirois said.

• Waterford students held a sock hop recently for which the admission was canned food. Students provided holiday meals for two needy families, Principal Margaret Emery said.

• In Norway, a food drive at Rowe Elementary School has been extended to Dec. 4 by the student organization, Future Leaders at Rowe Elementary. Students will bring what they collected to Christ Episcopal Church in Norway for distribution.

Giving a school tradition

Fairview Elementary School Principal Cathy Folan said the Auburn school’s students, staff and parents collected enough food and money to help 21 Fairview families. 

“Those families will be getting boxes of milk, eggs, butter, bread and cereal — a food box to help them get through a tough time,” Folan said. “And we’ve got huge boxes in our entryway of gently used winter clothing, children through adults.” 

Like a lot of schools, Fairview does this every year during the holidays. Teachers and guidance counselors identify students and families who need help, “families we know, the kids who show up every day,” Folan said.

The effort shows students to be thankful for what they have, Folan said. “Helping someone who needs the help is what we’re supposed to do.”

At Lewiston Middle School, each Friday in November students could wear a hat in school if they donated $1 or a canned good, teacher Megan Praschak said. The students raised $129 and collected 64 boxes of food.

“It is an easy way to give back to our community,” Praschak said.

Auburn Middle School Principal Kathleen Cutler said she had watched students haul in jugs of coins and cans of food.

“When you get past their bravado, kids have a wonderful spirit of giving and understanding,” Cutler said. “If you set it up, the kids will be there.”

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Fairview PTO members, from left, Lisa Morin, April Dooley and Lana Cassidy, pack boxes with food last Friday for families at their school who needed a little extra help during the holiday season. Students, staff and parents collected food, money and clothing and invited those in need to stop by the school for care packages.