High Point students 'fill the bus'

SUSSEX BOROUGH — Hoots, hollers, cold noses and fingers abounded at High Point Regional High School, Thurs., Dec. 15 – while the wind whipped through the flag in front.
“Let's go! Fill the bus!” encouraged school personnel.
Principal Jonathan Tallamy explained, this was High Point's sixth year “Filling the Bus.” He said, the County Human Services devised the challenge for schools across the county to gather food to replenish food pantries. Last year, he said, they collected 5,600 lbs; and this year, they hoped to collect even more.
Two lines of students ran down opposite sides of school halls, from cafeteria to the Sussex County Social Services bus, in the back of the school. The students then passed donated cans of food, student-to-student, from the cafeteria to the bus.
One student passed a can of Progresso soup and said, “I'm really hungry, right now.”
Closer toward the door and bus, a student commented, “My hands are cold.” Feathers of white snow steadily blew down.
Cans clinked in boxes on the bus, to be stacked by eager hands. One of around 25 “Fill the Bus” Committee” members, Senior Lucas Hruska said, “There are seven to eight tables, just of cans. That's the most we've ever gotten.”
Other Committee members on the bus were: Sydney Vogt, Daniel Banas, and Meghan Van Alstyne.
Hruska said, the committee started the project one month ago; and many other committee members were passing cans from the cafeteria.
The next period bell buzzed, signaling the second half of the school's turn to line up.
High Point teacher Cindy Zajac said, “They do so well, and they get everybody involved.”
In order to get everybody involved, Tallamy and Assistant Principal Amy Librizzi put out school challenges, such as: the grade which brought in the most cans will win a movie period in January; and the staff department first place winners, for the most cans, will win three free jean wearing days. The second place staff winners will win one free jean wearing day.
After the whole school participated, more than ten overflowing red bins clattered, squeaked, and rolled through halls, and out the door. They were loaded with: cake and brownie mixes, detergents, tuna fish, diapers, granola bars, cereals, peanut butter, and paper towels. The committee assembly line continued to work and laugh.
One committee member exclaimed, “I feel good helping!”
The sun began to shine, and white cotton candy clouds floated in blue sky.
With the last boxes loaded on the bus, cheers, applause, and screams of joy erupted from the committee, “Wooooohhhhh!”
The bus door closed; and the driver beeped thanks, on behalf of the county.