Farmington elementary schools compete in the spirit of the season

• Photo: Food drive

Food donations are piling up at Farmington and Akin Road elementary schools.

Talk about it

Walk through the doors at either Akin Road Elementary School or Farmington Elementary School, and there’s no doubt kids get the whole “giving to others” concept.

Just inside the entryway at both schools, there are piles of canned goods, boxed meals and other nonperishables. All of the collections are for the Farmington Food Shelf.

FES has been doing its food drive for the past four years, according to counselor Jen Venz. Normally, the school holds its own competition to see which grade can collect the most food, and that grade gets its own recognition right before the holiday break.

They’ve done pretty well over the years, too – so much so that Akin Road counselor Jacelyn Brand asked Venz for the secret to their success.

Well, one thing led to another. Venz explained the competition among grades, and before long a new competition sprung up: a competition between schools.

Both FES and ARES are collecting for the food shelf this year, and students at both schools have plenty of incentive to bring in the most donations. If FES wins, principal Ben Januschka will kiss a cow during a school assembly. If ARES wins, principal Laura Pierce has agreed to be taped to a wall.

Januschka is no stranger to some of the madcap incentives that have come up over the years. He’s had his hair colored and taken pies in the face. And kiss a cow? Well, he’s ready to do that, too.

“If FES gets the most, then I’ll kiss a cow, which will actually be a calf because I don’t think I can get a cow in the gym,” Januschka said.

The food drive is on through the end of this week, though the school staff planned to start counting items midweek.

Venz isn’t sure just how they’ll tally up all of the collected goods. Right now, the collection at FES is categorized by grade – the grade competition is still on there – and it stretches down a hallway. But ARES has a table in the entryway where all of their items are being placed.

All fun aside, the food drives really go a long way toward teaching students some valuable life lessons, Venz said.

“It’s just kind of about getting that feeling of doing for other people and helping our neighbors,” she said. “I just think it’s important.”

Tags: district 192, elementary schools, education, farmington