JAY — More than 400 Spruce Mountain High School students and teachers, along with parents and community members, will gather in the school gym at 5 a.m. Thursday to be filmed for the Spirit Challenge food drive.

Spruce Mountain challenged Mountain Valley High School in Rumford to see who would bring in the most donations of nonperishable food and money for the Good Shepherd Food-Bank in Auburn. Every dollar donation translates into five pounds of food.

The losing school’s banner will be displayed in the winner’s gym.

WGME chose eight high schools to participate in Spirit Challenge, which ends this month.

“I’m so excited,” said ninth-grader Morgan Flagg. “We’re going to whip Mountain Valley High School.”

Mountain Valley students were filmed a couple of weeks ago and have been gathering food and money ever since.

At Spruce Mountain on Wednesday, a couple of Army Reservists put together a climbing wall for Thursday’s activities.

Students filled a makeshift bus with food last week during the area’s Apple Pumpkin Festival, and plan to hold a tag day at the Otis Federal Credit Union on Thursday.

Prior to Thursday’s filming, a tailgate breakfast will be served in the gym.

“We’re all excited,” sophomore Sadie Storer said.

Businesses in and around Jay and Rumford have also taken up the challenge, as well as area town offices. At the Livermore Falls Town Office, a fancy watering can is available to accept cash donations. In Regional School Unit 73, donations may be brought to the high school, Franklin Savings Bank or the Hair Doctor Salon and Spa.

Businesses that want to be drop-off locations may contact mbrann@rsu73.org.