Huntington High School student government members have an awful lot to be proud about after leading the charge in helping to feed the hungry in the community.
The dynamic teenagers shattered previous records for the sheer amount of non-perishable items that were collected during a drive that received help from every building in the district as well as from the community at-large.
The student government stuffed three large school buses full of food and then delivered the goods to local food pantries. It is already disappearing off shelves and making its way into the homes of the hungry. The success of the drive allowed organizers to supply items to an additional food pantry this year.
After weeks of collecting thousands of non-perishable items in school lobbies, outside local supermarkets and by getting younger students across the district involved, Huntington High School student government co-faculty advisor Fred Bisogno’s social studies classroom resembled a storage warehouse.
Mr. Bisogno and fellow faculty advisor Anthony Troffa marveled at the impressive volume of goods. The items were organized and neatly boxed so they were ready for transport to the pantries.
Last Saturday, student government members, representatives of the Young Leaders youth development program, high school freshmen from Mr. Bisogno’s Global 9 class and junior varsity lacrosse players all joined together to bring the items down from a second floor classroom and repeatedly stuff a large school bus.
Teacher Susan Danzig got Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School student government leaders involved in the initiative and the youngsters worked very hard last Saturday, toiling alongside dozens of teenagers who carried the food downstairs and out to the waiting school bus. STEM families contributed hundreds of non-perishable items to the drive this year. “It was a great experience for the younger students of Huntington,” Mr. Bisogno said.
Regardless of the time of year or how well the economy is performing in general, there are always hungry in our midst. So the items collected were much needed.
“We made deliveries to the Community Food Council, Helping Hand Rescue Mission and St. Vincent de Paul outreach/food pantry at St. Hugh’s,” Mr. Bisogno said. By the time we left each of the facilities, their storage areas were overflowing with donations.”
Young Leaders co-founder and director Kevin Thorbourne along with Messrs. Bisogno and Troffa were “amazed” at how focused and hardworking the students were last Saturday and they did it all with a smile on their face.
The Stuff the Bus initiative once again relied upon the cooperation and assistance of a broad segment of the community.
“Many of my faculty colleagues really pitched in this year as well as they have in the past,” Mr. Bisogno said. “Camille Tedeschi and Erik Bruckbauer were major contributors to the cause. Anthony and I truly appreciate all of the support from Huntington Coach, which donates the bus and also from both Stop and Shop and King Kullen for allowing us to stand in the cold collecting items in front of their stores.”
With a new record established, the high school student government is already planning for 2019. “We truly have a new goal to reach for next year,” Mr. Bisogno said.
