High School Students Compete to Feed Hungry
Posted/updated on: September 13, 2013 at 1:26 pm
TYLER – The 23rd annual Pantry Raid competition is underway between student bodies at Robert E. Lee and John Tyler high schools. Students at both high schools have a friendly competition to collect food and raise funds to benefit hungry East Texans. Over the last 22 years, the students have collected over 1 million pounds of food between the two campuses. The school that collects the most amount of food earns bragging rights and proudly displays the traveling trophy at their school for the year.
“I enjoy the annual East Texas Food Bank Pantry Raid because it’s a great way for two rival schools, Robert E. Lee and John Tyler, to come together in unity and make a difference in the community,” said Tyler Jones, student body president at Robert E. Lee High School.
“I believe the East Texas Food Bank Pantry Raid is not only about the competition of our rival school, but a way to bring our community together, focusing on the struggles of people in our everyday community that we usually don’t see and a little competition doesn’t hurt,” added Charity Kennebrew, student body president at John Tyler High School.
“For 23 years now the Pantry Raid has been a healthy competitive expression of school spirit and the spirit of philanthropy for the students of Robert E. Lee and John Tyler high schools,” said Dennis Cullinane, Executive Director of the East Texas Food Bank. “We are truly grateful to the students for sharing their incredible energy in providing these gifts of food and cash contributions over the years towards the fight against hunger in our communities.”
Donations of non-perishable canned food items will be accepted at both high schools through this Friday. You can also support either school by going to http://www.EastTexasFoodBank.org/PantryRaid to make a financial donation onlin. The Pantry Raid results will be announced at the Robert E. Lee and John Tyler football game this Friday.
