By ROMAIN FONSEGRIVES of Santa Cruz Sentinel
Posted: 03/21/2010 01:30:49 AM PDT
WATSONVILLE — Students at Watsonville High School are being challenged.
Danny Keith of the Second Harvest Food Bank encourages Watsonville High... (Robinson Kuntz/Sentinel)
The Rotary Interact Club wants them to raise 10,000 pounds of healthy food in 30 days to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank’s Food for Children Program.
“Our community is in major need for food,” said Martha Rodriguez, vice president of the Rotary Interact Club. The club is run by students whose parents belong to the Rotary Club.
Watsonville High School did not take part in the Second Harvest holiday food drive this winter. But the Interact Club is now excited to help feeding the community through this initiative, Rodriguez said.
Second Harvest Food Drives Manager Bly Morales and Promotions Associate Danny Keith kicked off the food drive Tuesday and Friday at the Henry J. Mello Center. Together, they tried to raise awareness among students.
“This is your problem, this is your community,” said Keith to the 400 students gathered in the Mello Center Friday. “You guys are the next leaders of our generation.”
Students can bring food to the school to help smash the 10,000-pound barrier by April 15. Every student donating 10 cans of food can even get a Saturday detention class knocked off, if they happen to have one, Keith said.
“I think they can do big things, they just need to get informed and motivated,” Morales said about the students.
In his speech, Keith reminded students that one in four kids are going hungry every day in Santa Cruz County. In a striking move, he asked half of the assembly to raise their hands and said: “This is how many people are going hungry in your school.” Keith also asked students to focus on doing well in tests as Watsonville High School and other Pajaro Valley schools have recently been announced to be the among the lowest-achieving in the state. It’s an issue that some think is related to poverty and inadequate nutrition in the county.
“It definitely could be a factor; kids who don’t have a good breakfast can’t think,” said Second Harvest Development Director Lisa Allyn, stressing that 24 percent of the food collected year-round by Second Harvest is dedicated to the children program.
Junior student Paulina Hurtado shares the same opinion.
“The healthier you are, the better you can adapt to new environments and face challenges,” Hurtado said.The 17-year-old was inspired by Keith’s intervention and intends to bring a few cans of food to help, she said.
Keith will come to Watsonville High School every week during the drive to monitor the progress.
If the Rotary Interact Club reaches its 10,000-pound goal, the Morning Madhouse Radio on KDON 102.5 will present members a prize, Keith said.
“I don’t want to give all the details now,” Keith said. “It’s a surprise.”
