Abigail Reams ‘25 holds her original, hand-made, candy-cane as the rest of the Student Leadership Board works on decorations for this year’s Canned Food Drive. “The site was actually really fun to see,” Lillian Stokes ‘26 said. “I kind of stopped and looked for a minute.” The Board works to make the Food Drive theme fun, exciting, and interactive to excite students and encourage them to donate to the good cause. Students of different grades and teachers of different subjects all show up to help in the creation of the Food Drive presentation that’s smack dab in the middle of Jane Woodruff Hall. Photo courtesy of Sadler Wilson, November 18, 2024. Students stay afterschool to work on the Food Canned Drive presentation. Because of the service hour requirements Woodward students have to fulfill each year, hundreds of students volunteer for school events and outside of school activities. Each student volunteers, but some want to take their willingness to assist to the next level. This is the reason why so many students are involved in SLB. “I wanted to join SLB because I had participated during my freshman and sophomore year in a bunch of service opportunities,” SLB member Sadler Wilson ‘25 said. If you volunteer as a hobby then you might as well join SLB. Photo courtesy of Sadler Wilson, November 18, 2024.
To promote donations from students, Woodward purchases dozens of cases of cans for the Canned Food Drive presentation in the Woodruff Atrium. “Last night, we spent over $3,000 buying the cans at Costco, so we’ve already received $3,000 and we used that to buy the cans that are in the build,” Sadler Wilson ’25 said. The Student Leadership Board decides, after getting a sizable amount of donations, how many cans they want to purchase to put in Woodruff, and how many they want to add to the pile of can donations. Photo courtesy of Sadler Wilson, November 18, 2024.
People who want to donate can either give $20 or 20 cans. To some there isn’t a big difference, but to others giving cash rather than cans is more convenient and they feel it has a bigger effect. “It’s easier to give, like, cash because they can do more with it,” Lillian ‘26 said. Woodward takes everything that people donate because every donation helps someone. “I think the food bank is a really important thing that people should donate to to help just, like, our city in general, and help other people who are struggling,” Mazie Juhan ‘26 said. “And I think it’s a really good way to [give] back to society.” Whether someone prefers to donate a can or a dollar, that donation will be greatly appreciated and fully accepted. Photo courtesy of BBK Staff, November 18, 2024.Upper school girls spend time after school creating decorations that were used to showcase the Canned Food Drive. Students are encouraged to help out with projects the SLB hosts. “We love when other students, especially, like, teens or clubs, all come to an event,” Sadler said. “You can sign up on there, every single opportunity is on HelperHelper,” Sadler said. There are plenty of ways to volunteer so go do it! “I will be donating because I always donate to the Atlanta Food Bank,” Lillian Stokes ‘26 said. “I volunteer at the Atlanta Food Bank. I think it’s a very great cause.” Photo courtesy of Sadler Wilson, November 18, 2024. The colorful, cutesy decorations used to present the Canned Food Drive light up the path for students to see as they walk to their next class. The incredible design peaks the interests of many people and urges them to donate as they stop in front of the presentation to see what it’s about. “We take the design down on Friday, because that’s when we have collected all of our money from students, and that’s when the food drive comes to pick up all of the cans,” Sadler said. Since there isn’t a whole lot of time left don’t forget to check it out and donate! Photo courtesy of BBK Staff, November 18, 2024.
