Starting in October, schools across the nation begin encouraging students to participate in the annual Student Hunger Drive. These students donate thousands of items, but many take part for their own personal gain—incentives from teachers. Morally, students should be motivated internally by the good cause and the overall effect their contribution has on our community, not external rewards.
Teachers are often criticised for their use of incentives as a method for motivating students, but recurring data proves students are less likely to bring in cans without the benefit for themselves. Students tend to be selfish and seldom look at the big-picture. That being said, if incentives were removed from the Student Hunger Drive, participation would sharply diminish. Instead of students looking for personal gain, they should learn of the communal benefits of the hunger drive that push others to participate selflessly.
The hunger drive not only creates healthy competition between schools and teachers, but the food donated directly benefits members of our community. Students should find this desire to help others by their contributions. “The hunger drive is a district event that everyone should participate in because, first of all, there’s research that shows if you are feeling low and having a bad day, month or year, giving to others helps you feel better,” says counselor Kerry Anderson. “The other reason is we should all work together as a community to make lives better, and there are a good number of people in our area who don’t have what everyone else has. It is definitely helpful to give back to these people and assist them.”
Looking around the hallways of Pleasant Valley, it is obvious that a majority of students come from families that don’t have to worry about getting enough food every day. The donated food goes to many people we don’t know, but there are also families in need at our school. As we reach the conclusion of this hunger drive season, students are urged to focus on the benefit of others over themselves.
