Sebring students pack and organize food and care item baskets for 36 Sebring families for the holiday season. Bottom left going up: Kendel Taylor, Elanna Mellie, Jordin Mekker-Radford, Alanis Giron Perez; right top going down: Brielle Thompson and Grace Gardner. (Submitted photo)

SEBRING – Junior and high school student organizations joined forces last month to launch an expansive food and care item drive. In November, the Student Senate group in the junior high partnered with the Student Senate group in the high school to concentrate efforts on a singular goal: expand support to district families this holiday season.

The collaboration paid off and gained support from other student groups in the school. The school’s Ecology Club and Success and Wellness group contributed to the effort with a fundraiser of their own. The groups’ “Trick or Treat for Turkeys” campaign raised $1,000, allowing each care package to include a turkey or ham.

Jr. High Student Senate Advisor Lori DeHoff praised the students for making this year’s drive a strong success, noting that it meaningfully expanded support for district families. The drive provided each of the 36 families with a bag and a basket of food plus hygiene supplies.

“Families will receive not only food for the holidays, but pantry staples and hygiene items,” DeHoff said.

After the food and care items were collected, students organized, packaged, and labeled the items for distribution. All items donated remained in the Sebring community.