This week's Cool School is San Joaquin Memorial, where the students hold a holiday food drive to help feed the less fortunate.
In the week leading up to Thanksgiving, all the students on campus, about 575 of them, were asked to collect food and bring it into school, so that it could then be donated to Catholic Charities for the holidays.
Principal Ed Borges said, "The Thanksgiving Food Drive is something that existed here at San Joaquin Memorial before I got here. But now we want to amp it up because that's part of our mission as a school. It's also something where our students can give back to the community."
Student Alyssa Serpa said, "The goal of our school is Catholic charity social justice. We love helping people in our community. We have a service club here on campus. So we try to say, 'look, here's the people in our community and here's what we need to do'. And then we say - 'let's do it. Let's come together as a school and let's help people.'"
Student Emerson Kirk said, "Someone brought in almost over 600 cans by themselves. I think our total count right now is around 4,000 cans and around $500, because you could bring in cash or cans." Not bad for a campus of less than 600 students.
Student Kristin Campbell said, "I knew I was blessed, but seeing how much people suffer everyday, it just makes it so much better."
Campus Ministry Director Clarissa Myers said, "Hunger is not an uncommon thing anymore. It's more and more in suburban areas due to the recession and other situations, so definitely, we're hoping to make that connection that you don't have to be homeless to be hungry, that hunger can happen anywhere."
Principle Borges said, "We have to be concerned with our fellow human beings here who need extra help. Yes, it is part of who we are, and it's part of the social justice mission of the school."
Congratulations to San Joaquin Memorial for stepping up to help those in need.
