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NCSS collects over 13,000 cans during annual Can-A-Thon
BOE Canathon
Members of the winning NCSS Central Office team pose with the more than 1,800 cans of food they collected during the 2017 Fall Can-A-Thon. Overall, Central Office employees collected 4,217 cans of food. Pictured are, from left: Johnna Moon, Dr. Cara Richardson, Jennifer Williams, Geneva Guthrie, Beverly Addison, Lynn Parham, Gail Holloway, Kim Moon, Khiem Reed, and Ragen Cantrell. - photo by Staff Report

COVINGTON, Ga. - Newton County School System (NCSS) students and staff have once again stepped up to the plate to help the local community by collecting food for those less fortunate. During the school system’s annual Can-A-Thon, a total of 13,793 items of food were collected.

“I am very proud of our students, faculty and staff for their support of all those in need of food resources in our community,” said NCSS School Social Worker, George Hutchinson, who coordinates the district’s annual canned food drive. “The items were distributed among several food pantries in the county.”

The NCSS central office collected the most items of food in the district this year as the office divided into competitive teams to collect the most cans. Overall, the central office collected 4,217 items of food. Two schools, Mansfield Elementary and Oak Hill Elementary each collected over 2,500 items of food and Newton County Theme School, Heard-Mixon Elementary, South Salem Elementary, and Cousins Middle each collected over 500 items of food each. 

“The NCSS Can-A-Thon was such a great success because it was a team effort involving all of our students and employees,” said Samantha Fuhrey, superintendent of Newton County School System. “When you look at the numbers and see how much food was collected it’s absolutely amazing—13,793 cans of food! And every single can will stay right here in Newton County to help residents in our community. Through their efforts, the students and employees of our school system have helped put food on the table for so many families in our community who are in need. Words can’t even begin to describe how proud I am of their tremendous support of the NCSS Can-A-Thon!”

Schools and offices participating in the NCSS Can-A-Thon collected the following amounts:

  • Fairview Elementary: 341
  • Flint Hill Elementary: 400
  • Heard-Mixon Elementary: 600
  • Live Oak Elementary: 200
  • Mansfield Elementary: 2,582
  • Middle Ridge Elementary: 120
  • Newton County Theme School: 633
  • Oak Hill Elementary: 2,589
  • Porterdale Elementary: 55
  • South Salem Elementary: 750
  • Clements Middle: 100
  • Cousins Middle: 600
  • Indian Creek Middle: 250
  • Veterans Memorial Middle: 100
  • Newton College & Career Academy: 256
  • Central Office: 4,217
  • TOTAL: 13,793