For the month of October, which consisted of 14 school days, Mindy Brown’s four math classes have been participating in a Can Food Drive in order to help feed citizens in need in the Newton County area. They began the project by setting goals based upon the four different class sizes so that the winning class was not based upon the number of cans brought in, but by the percentage of the class size. This made each class equal no matter the size. Everyday the classes worked to calculate fractions, decimals and percents as they updated their totals on thermometer charts. Within four days, each class had exceeded their totals. By the end of the 14 days, three of the classes exceeded 400 percent, with the winning class exceeding 500 percent of their original goal. In all, the 75 sixth grade students collected a total of 1,237 cans in 14 days. It is estimated that the students and staff in the Newton County School System together have collected over 10,000 cans of food which will benefit the Salvation Army and the Food Pantry.

Several schools collected over 1,000 cans of food this year, and one school, Sharp Learning Center, collected 2,000 cans. Schools collecting over 1,000 cans include the following:

• Ficquett Elementary School, 1,700 cans

• South Salem Elementary School, 1,676 cans

• Liberty Middle School, 1,000 cans

• Eastside High School, 1,000 cans

• Sharp Learning Center, 2,000 cans

"We are proud of the students and employees who participated in the Can-A-Thon," said Newton County School Superintendent, Dr. Steve Whatley. "Our school district has always been very supportive of community needs. Even during these tough economic times, our students and employees have once again risen to the occasion and shown their generosity and community spirit by providing food items for the Salvation Army and the Food Pantry. To collect over 10,000 cans of food is a tremendous accomplishment."