A box of donuts is a sweet prize, but for some students in our community, having access to a warm blanket and toothpaste is the ultimate win. 

The month of November is National Homeless Awareness Month, and students at Craig High School turned a schoolwide competition into a lifeline for local youth experiencing homelessness hosted by the Blue Ribbon Club. 

What started off as a friendly competition between classes quickly turned into a massive school community effort, raising over 1,400 items for students at school to have access to during the week on November 10th to the 14th.

  The Blue Ribbon Club’s “Stock the Shelves” drive highlighted the school’s commitment to supporting its peers, especially during National Homeless Awareness Month. The collected items – including essential toiletries like toothpaste, deodorant, and shampoo – directly stocked Craig’s Closet, an on-campus resource that provides students with basic necessities to students experiencing housing insecurity or other urgent needs. 

The class that brought in the most donations didn’t just earn bragging rights; they won a sweet celebration, proving that giving back has its own tasty rewards. 

Ultimately, the competition came down to the wire, but Mrs. Crandall’s class emerged victorious, collecting 248 items and earning the donut party. With honorable mentions going to Ms. Knoerr’s class with 236 items and Mr. Maurer’s class with 133 items who also were rewarded with a little something sweet as well. 

The incredible total of 1,400 items collected solidified the “Stock the Shelves” drive as one of the most successful community service events of the year. 

With such a great turn out this year, Ms. Ward confirmed there are “some fun plans in the works for next year” hinting that the club hopes to build on this success and make an even bigger impact during Homeless Awareness Month in the future.