The Interact Club organized its annual canned food drive before Thanksgiving to support local families in need, sponsored by the West Covina Rotary Club. The club collects non-perishable items, with the help of Edgewood High School and Mt. SAC Early College Academy. 

To spark some friendly competition, they set up a challenge among fourth-period classes. Each participating class received a collection box and donations earned points, one point per item, with canned vegetables and pumpkin pie filling worth double the points. The top three classes would be rewarded as follows: first place will receive Raising Cane’s, second place will receive Porto’s pastries, and third place will receive donuts.

Last year’s winner was history teacher Kathryn Cayem’s class, collecting 436 items.  English teacher Lyndie Lorenger ’s class took second place with 357 items, and Rosalyn Reyes, math teacher and Link Crew advisor, came in third with 183 items.

Club advisor and math teacher Karon Walton, who has been leading Interact since 2018, shared her hopes for another successful year.

 “Last year, we collected just over 1,500 items, which Rotary was very grateful for,” Walton said. “There have been years we’ve reached nearly 3,000 items, so I’m hopeful we can match or even surpass that this year.

Despite the high hopes, the club saw less involvement throughout the fourth-period classes.

“No one has donated cans from their fourth-period class. So I’m just concerned, is it just that people are still buying them, or is it like, no one’s just bringing it,”  Interact President Areanne Abigail Custodio said. 

3rd place winner Ms. Reyes gave student reminders to donate on Google Classroom, and last year’s link crew president, Christhoper Tam encouraged students to donate 10 cans.

 “My link crew class president from last year was the one who pushed everyone. Hey, we’re leaders on campus. Let’s bring in so many. And he, he was the one who really pushed people to like each bring 10. That was like the biggest thing. And then he wanted me to put it like on our Google Classroom to remind people,” Cayem said.

Other ways teachers have encouraged students to donate were by having a class competition throughout their periods. 

“I told them they would officially be in my favorite class if we won,” Cayem said.

Although it seems like students aren’t donating due to a lack of excitement over the prizes, there seem to be other unanticipated variables.

“Everything’s expensive right now, so it’s really hard to get people to donate. And I was at the store yesterday looking, and pumpkin puree was 2.50, and I’m like, That’s expensive, “ Reyes said.

Despite not many classes participating, the club is still proud of the number of new members they have gained this school year.      

“Last year, we had a lot of people participating in the canned food drive, obviously, but we didn’t have that many members. But this year, there are so many passionate underclassmen who have shown up to all of our meetings …  They’re all trying to serve their community,” Custodio said. 

The club was able to collect 652 cans, with 439 being canned vegetables. The winners will be announced on Dec. 1.