Ellis Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society students boosted the food shelf supply at the Salvation Army Wednesday when they donated over 1,600 items.

Bin after bin was brought into the school to be filled and emptied by Salvation Army volunteers, then filled and emptied again — and again — as students carried more and more food from classrooms.

“It shows we care,” said 12-year-old Tammara Lawhead, a society member, adding the 55 students involved collected over twice the initial goal of 750 items.

“I thought that (750) would be a stretch,” she said. “I am really glad we got what we did.”

To be exact: Students collected 1,687 food items, said Jennifer Gosha, an instructional coach at the school.

Lawhead said the students either brought the items from home or went to neighbors and relatives for donations. Some even participated in a trick or treat event that asked for canned food.

The students chose to hold a food drive as part of a focus on community service. The society does different projects each year and students chose the food drive this year as its local project.

In March, a global project, called “Silence for a Day” will be conducted. In that effort, students will raise money through pledges, by committing to not talk for a day. Funds raised will be donated to Haitian people, in need of food and supplies following multiple weather events.

“The focus of the day is speaking loud with silence for those who cannot speak for themselves,” Gosha said.