Fox Lane Students Win Trophy for Service to Community

When you hear about a group of students winning a trophy, you might think of a sports playoff or arts competition. But to a group of enterprising freshmen at Fox Lane High School, a trophy signifies over 1,000 food items contributed to the Neighbors Link Food Drive.

And though the friendly competition charged up the freshmen class, said Charlotte Herber, who helped lead the effort, they got more out of the experience than winning a trophy.

"It feels good to be giving back," she said. "Our class is so connected and we all came together during the holidays to contribute—and our advisors helped by showing us the ropes."

It's the second year that Neighbors Link, a Mt. Kisco nonprofit that provides aid to recent immigrants, has hosted the competition among area high schools. Last year, Horace Greeley took the prize for most groceries contributed, but this year it was no contest: out of 1,400 items collected, over 1,000 came from Fox Lane.

"We think it's just as important to recognize the efforts of students who are performing community service—the hours they commit are significant," said Marianne Delaney, director of development and communications. The winners keep the trophy until next year's competition.

The food was given to needy families at the Neighbor's Link annual Family Health Day on Dec. 12.

Students at John Jay High School, Horace Greeley High School, and Fox Lane High School collected food from mid-November through Dec. 12. At Fox Lane, the freshmen "advisories," or homerooms, took it upon themselves to create a competition-within-a-competition, dangling a breakfast for the winning advisory as the prize.

"They worked really hard," said Kristy Emery, math teacher and freshmen advisor. "They put flyers up, talked it up with their friends, sent out emails—the officers put in about 15-20 hours on the project."

It wasn't the first project the freshmen class collaborated on: earlier this fall, they decorated the school for spirit week and continue to work on fundraising for class events as far away as senior prom.

For her part, Herber says that student government gives her access to a group of like-minded students who want to make connections with each other and the community.

"I hope in a few years I can look back and say I gave back to the community that nurtured me," she said.

The freshman class officers involved were Silas Grossberndt, Charlotte Herber, Lauren Raue and Lindsey Ruzza, with additional help from students Olivia Hopf and Molly Delaney. Parent volunteers Hephzibah Grossberndt and Jennifer Hopf helped to transport the food from Fox Lane to Neighbors Link. Teachers and advisors who oversaw the project included Debi Schmutzer, Michael Groarke, Kristy Emery and Cortnie Rosenhaft.