Upper School students “beg for cans” on Beggar’s Night in Gahanna. (Chris Heerman’18/Media editor)

Academy’s “Kids for Kids” drive is always a major achievement, with students, parents, and the school’s staff pitching in to serve 32 central Ohio families.

From clothes stacked high in the athletic lobby to tables holding canned food items in the Barton Room lobby, the Service Board was busy from October 30 through November 11. The continued success of “Kids for Kids” is not guaranteed, however, as we saw how much it takes a village as the ending drew nearer and food items were sparse.

Spurred on by Service Board coordinator, Mrs. Christy Bening, advisories brought entire shopping carts full of cans to the shelves. Middle school students’ families rallied and even lower schoolers toting carts twice their size joined in the effort. 

Finally, with over 4,000 food items, middle schoolers, who were selecting food for their families had a variety of canned goods to choose from, with some groups compiling food for a family of twelve. 

Upper school advisories who adopted a family shopped for clothes, toys, books, and bedding in the Athletic Lobby and then wrapped all of their families’ gifts before storing items in number-labeled lawn bags. On Friday, November 17, all bags will be carted to the Dining Hall and assembled for deliveries on the next morning. In one of Mrs. Bening’s final emails, she said. “Thank you for making the winter season warmer for many families!”