By Vanesa Brashier, editor@bluebonnetnews.com
Hardin High School students, teachers, parents and supporters outdid themselves this year by collecting 9,862 food items and $920. The food items went to Hardin Lions Club, area churches and food banks in Hardin and Liberty, and the cash is for the purchase of Thanksgiving turkeys for families in need.
“We had 100 percent participation, but some of the kids and supporters made up for the kids who couldn’t donate,” said Amanda Kersh Key, teacher and organizer of the Hardin Student Council-driven food drive.
The students will be awarded for their efforts. The school district is giving the high school students a day off from school. The students are breaking up into groups with some going to the Galleria and others going to the movies or bowling rinks.
This year’s food drive surpassed the 2015 food drive when 8,338 cans and $3,476 were collected.
“That was the year that the Hunger Games movie came out. Mr. Roessler, who was principal at the time, was asked if he would do a challenge with us. If each kid brought 25 cans, he would let us go to the movies instead of classes,” Key said. “It was a huge success that year. When the incentive was taken away in subsequent years, participation was not good. This year we asked our principal, Mr. Stacy Tucker, if we could do something like that again, and he agreed. It helped create a class competition.”
Working for a reward paid off and the students learned about giving back to their community, she added.
A portion of the food items was used to create food boxes for 50 families in need that were identified by the school counselors.
Carson Amyx, a senior at Hardin High School, helps organize food that was donated to area churches and food banks by Hardin High School students and community members. 
Boxes of food are ready to be transported to local food banks and churches. The food was donated by Hardin High School students and community residents. 
Amanda Kersh Key, who organizes Hardin High School’s annual food drive, walks along a row of boxes that are ready to be distributed to local families in need. 
Hardin High School students are pictured with former teacher Gideon Watson, who now pastors Hardin Methodist Church, following a recent food drive at the school. Some of the food boxes were donated to the Methodist Church, which will distribute the items to residents in need. 
Student Maddie Secada helps organize food items for Hardin High School’s annual food drive. 
Food drives are exhausting. Hardin High School student Trisha Benton takes a break on some of the discarded boxes that were gathered during the school’s recent food drive.