JROTC cadets Participate in a canned food drive service learning project.  

          Each year JROTC does a service learning project, and this year it is giving canned food to families that can’t afford food. Last year they made gift boxes for people in nursing homes. 

           JROTC cadets bring non-perishable food to be given to those who can not afford to put food on the table. All cadets are instructed to bring at least one canned good. Each class has their own box that they decorated and will fill with canned goods. 

           JROTC usually does nursing home service learning projects. The canned food drive is better due to Covid, since it requires less contact. JROTC Instructor Sergeant Neville Mattews said, “Normally we do projects with nursing homes, but a canned food drive is better with Covid.”  

           Service learning goes beyond helping out or volunteering; it combines learning goals into community-based activities based on what’s needed. Last year’s gift boxes project was heavily affected by Covid with some cadets virtual and students outside of JROTC participating in this project. 

           Mattews said, “Last year we wrapped 200 gift boxes.” Each class is filling their box with canned goods and competing with other classes to see who has the most canned.