Snack-packing event combines school spirit and community support
Published 4:38 pm Thursday, September 26, 2024
Austin High School students head to their stations for a food-packaging event Thursday morning on the school’s front lawn. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Over 1,500 students took part in Thursday’s food-packaging event Thursday on the front lawn of Austin High School as part of Homecoming week. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin High School students back snack packs as part of a food-packaging event Thursday as part of Homecoming week. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Over 1,500 students took part in Thursday’s food-packaging event Thursday on the front lawn of Austin High School as part of Homecoming week. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Members of the sophomore classes back snack packs as part of a food-packaging event Thursday morning at Austin High School. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Olivia Duffy takes part in Thursday’s food-packaging event held on the lawn of Austin High School as part of AHS’s Homecoming. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin High School seniors pack snacks as part of a food-packaging event Thursday morning at Austin High School. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Kyle Petrik, left, and Garlo Gee, right, bring boxes of packed snacks to a waiting pallet during a food-packing event Thursday morning at Austin High School. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Mariana Palma walks a box of packed snacks to a waiting pallet during a food packing event earlier this month on the lawn of Austin High School. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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For years, Austin Homecoming has been about spirit, dancing and the big game, however, this year the event swelled to include a community-based project as part of its annual Battle of Connects.
On the front lawn of Austin High School, more than 1,500 Austin High School students took part in the Hormel Foods sponsored Nourishing Champions food packing event. The goal was to pack 24,000 packages of food equaling 9,000 pounds of food in one hour.
It took just 20 minutes.
“This is a really amazing opportunity to be able to give back to the community and the people who support us,” said Ailani Thiravong, Student Body vice president. “It was really awesome to see everybody working together and the team camaraderie between the classes.”
Thursday’s event paired with the Minnesota-based nonprofit MATTER to create the MATTERbox Snack Packs, which will be funneled back into the community to support students.
Another important partner in this event was the Hometown Food Security Project, which focuses on ensuring everybody has access to the food they need within the community. Tammy Snee, community advocate for the project, said this is an example of the importance of working together.
“I think one of the most important things is it shows how great the cross collaboration is in our community,” Snee said. “Just the power of getting together can move mountains.”
The packaging event is new to Homecoming activities this year, and serves as part of a change to the Battle of Connects that in the past pitted the classes against one another in games.
While that will continue at different points throughout the year, AHS students and administrators thought that this would be a good way to give back to the community and honor the heritage of the school at the same time.
Jason Baskin, one of this year’s Distinguished Alumni inductees and who was honored earlier in the morning, raved about the addition of the project and that the timing couldn’t have been better.
“I think it’s especially cool that we’re doing it during Homecoming week,” he said. “Homecoming is a community celebration of all the people who have graduated from Austin High School and this is a great way to not only give back to the community, but connect the student’s passion’s with a passion to give back to the city.”
The day was made even more poignant by the fact that the snack packs packed today were going to Austin students and that the day is able to unite the fun of Homecoming with the satisfaction of giving back.”
“I think it’s fantastic that we’re thinking about other people,” said Austin High School Principal Matt Schmit. “We’re still doing activities. The kids are still having fun, but to have this as part of it … I’m very proud of it.”
Spanned over several rows of stations, students began the event by writing down simple notes placed in each pack and designed to offer encouragement to the student who received the food.
Next came the packing, as students quickly jumped into the event and displayed an enthusiasm that was not lost on those volunteers and officials behind the event.
“I’m blown away by the energy of the kids here. It’s a great day,” said Baskin, who is the Director of Marketing for SPAM. “Not only their willingness to come out and do this, but their willingness to come out and do it competitively. Feel the competitive spirit.”
“I think this is a great opportunity to show them there is a better world out there,” he continued. “Even as a student at Austin High School you can make an impact on that bigger world.”
Better yet, many see the opportunity for more in the future. Student Body President Ali Muzik is one of those that not only thinks it can be more, but that in can lead to more activities
“I think this adds a whole bunch. Just being able to help our community and everyone has been so much fun throughout Homecoming,” Muzik said. “It’s ust adding another thing to help support it and show we care about the community.”
“I believe that this can just add to the future,” she continued. “Being able to come up with more ideas and more things to help support our community. Next year we could go bigger and add more.”
