Karin Fowler

Senior Jessica Raymond donates to cans to Mr. Terronez’s class in order to help the Hunger Drive.

The long-standing rivalry between PV and Bettendorf has been facilitated by sporting events and other district-wide competitions. One event that puts the two schools against each other puts competition second and helping the community first: the annual student hunger drive.

As the 2022 Student Hunger Drive kicks off, PV is looking forward to beating Bettendorf by raising 100,000 pounds of non-perishable goods to help those in need- the most ambitious goal in PV history.

This year’s goal saw almost a 40% increase from the previous year, with PV schools raising close to 80,000 pounds. Spartan Assembly in charge of coordinating the event for the district. Faculty advisor Zach Miller claimed  the goal was created with hopes of responding to need. “Each year Spartan Assembly has increased the amount of pounds collected since I started as the Spartan Assembly Advisor,” Miller said. “After attending the SHD kickoff event this year at the Foodbank it was clearly obvious that they are in desperate need of donations.”

Food items raised during the SHD goes to the Riverbend Foodbank, which distributes donations to local food pantries in Iowa and Illinois. Earlier this year, Miller saw rows upon rows of empty shelves at the foodbank and realized there was a need for help. 

Hunger is on the rise. About 10% of people globally face food insecurity. COVID-19 furthered this epidemic, with 150 million people classified as undernourished in 2020.

Even though PV is generally thought to be a wealthy district, students within the PV community have benefitted from the SHD.  “Last year PV collected 176,273 meals worth of food,” Miller continued. “During a previous student hunger drive the council was working a mobile food pantry and there were students and families from Pleasant Valley going through the lines picking up food. The food that we were collecting was going back to students within our district.”

While the competition to raise money and cans between Bettendorf and PV continues, the schools must get creative in encouraging the student body to donate. 

Traditions like Powderpuff, minute-to-win-it games, individual class incentives and weekly challenges help promote the cause, sparking student participation in the hunger drive. This year, the high school has taken on the theme of “Hunger Games.” Like the competitors popular book and movie series try to outlast their competition in the arena, each academic department, or “district,” will combine their earnings and try to escape elimination. 

Senior Katie DelCorso has participated in the hunger drive by donating. “Between cash and cans, this year I’ve donated about 20 lbs. I know it may not seem like much but whatever I can do to help,” DelCorso said. “I was sort of shocked by our goal this year. It seemed like a lot. But, I know that if everyone in the school participates even a small amount we can reach it.”

The hunger drive will continue through Nov. 10 By donating to the hunger drive, PV students can move the district one step closer to raising 100,000 pounds and defeating Bettendorf.