By Haneen Bany-Mohammed & Tara Choe, Staff Writers
When you think of poor people who are in need of food, you probably think of people in a village halfway across the world, in a third world country. Little do you know that people who are in need may be sitting right next to you in class! The Peer Assistance Leadership Class (PALs) of Fountain Valley High School is holding its annual fall food drive in hopes of making a difference in our community to those who need it.
PALs has sent out baskets to all the classrooms in the English department in which students can donate non-perishable goods. These goods are later collected, and distributed to families in need for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Non-perishable goods include ready to eat canned meats, vegetables, protein or fruit bars and dried fruit. The baskets will be inside each English class until November 9, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to help the community this Thanksgiving! PALs is always accepting donations of non perishable food items to keep their food pantry well stocked, so donations are welcome after the Thanksgiving season as well.
PALs has also provided a “blessings box” up in the nurse’s office, which is stocked frequently with food such as cup noodles, oatmeal, granola bars and fruit snacks for students to eat from. Many students who come without breakfast or lunch or who may be finding themselves hungry is more than welcome to come and grab a snack. It was brought in the middle of last year, and is located towards the back wall of the Nurse’s office inside a cabinet. Whenever you have the opportunity, check it out and make sure it’s stocked because a lot of people, who don’t have lunch money or forget their lunch, rely on it. It’s a nice way to give back to the community.
PALs is both a club and a class on campus which values serving the community and training students to lead. Besides hosting their annual fall food drive, PALs hosts other events such as Trunk or Treat, Peer Mentoring, leadership workshops and other food drives throughout the year. Trunk or Treat is “trick-or treat” from the inside of a truck, and it is hosted hours before the glow show. PALs wants to make our community more inclusive, not just within the school but outside as well, that is why “Trunk-or-Treat” is open to elementary and middle school students as well.
PALs wants to enhance each students’ leadership skills, and give them a sense of responsibility. Members of PALs are involved in various roles such as mentoring their fellow peers, advising new freshman by giving them a tour of the school to make them feel secure and assisting their peers in succeeding not only academically, but emotionally as well.
“PALs is a student based class, so they make the decisions and decide what they want to do. They plan, and make the posters for the events. It gives everybody a sense of responsibility, and it makes everyone feel like their own leader, so it really starts with yourself. It makes you a leader of your responsibilities and then makes you leader of a community,” said Class Secretary and head of the fall food drive, Senior Liana Homsi.
“Send food to your English classes please, because people really need it!” said Homsi.
For more information on PALs and its fall food drive, please visit here.
