The Madison Pyramid canned food drive has arrived, fueling a month-long competition filled with blood, sweat and cans. Each year, the Madison SGA holds a canned food drive in the form of a school-wide competition. This has been a time honored Madison tradition and a big part of the school’s community during its running months

“The canned food drive is definitely one of my favorite SGA projects,” Paul Kendig (’26), and SGA student said. “It’s such a great way for the school to help the community. I definitely think that it helps to connect the Madison pyramid in a really fun way.”

Students can participate by bringing cans to their advisory class. Each can has its own value on a point scale, and as classes continue to bring in cans, their total points are added up. Additionally, the total points of each advisory class are compared to each other to have a school-wide ranking. The SGA has been able to ensure participation in the program by setting the canned food drive up as a competition. 

The canned food drive is a way for students to give back to their community in a fun, non-committal fashion. The cans that are donated are sent to Food for Others, a local food pantry, as well as donated to Madison’s very own food pantry program. The organization of the canned food drive is left primarily up to the students with a few advisors to help guide them along the way. The SGA students go door to door throughout the month of the competition and collect cans. Then, they apply the cans to their system of points and watch the points rise. 

“[We] both go into the classrooms to see if they’ve got some cans for us,” Kaelyn Davey (’26), and SGA member said. “If they do, we fill out a little sheet for them saying what cans they got, and how many points they get.”

The canned food drive is not limited to Madison students however, because this year the SGA has been able to incorporate the elementary and middle schools in the Madison pyramid into the canned food drive. Schools such as Thoreau, Louise Archer and Flint Hill all participate in the canned food drive by bringing cans to their schools. This has been a successful way that the SGA has been able to increase participation in the canned food drive. 

While the SGA is a very integral part of the food drives’ success, advisory teachers also play a large role in convincing their students to participate. Kelly Field’s junior advisory class won the canned food drive last year. Field has been adamant about providing her students constant reminders to donate cans by incentivising them through the competition aspect of the food drive. 

“I think competition has definitely helped to mobilize students to bring in more cans than they may have otherwise,” Field said. “Trying to get my whole class to think as a team and to support and encourage each other helped to involve most of the class, especially last year when we won.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, food insecurity was at large. It was difficult for families who were struggling financially to have access to goods. Canned food donations allowed those who had more access to food to help others who were in need of resources. Still today, canned food drives can help benefit many people who may need an extra helping hand. 

The canned food drive is a means for the school to contribute to helping the greater Vienna faction. By using these resources to donate to local people in need, Madison is making a positive impact on the community. The Madison pyramid will be making a difference one can at a time, while simultaneously fueling their competitive Warhawk nature. 

“Friendly competition is a fun way to unite the student body,” Field said. “ When everyone feels part of something it makes the community stronger.”