Peter Kim and a dozen or so other Meeker Middle School students couldn’t help but feel good after what they accomplished Saturday morning in Kent.
They joined about 160 other volunteers at the Northwest Harvest food bank distribution warehouse along West Valley Highway to box 42,896 pounds of apples and packaged 18,800 pounds of rice in just over two hours. Crews distributed the apples and rice this week to Western Washington food banks.
“We talked about how much fun it was and that we want to come back,” Kim said. “It’s a rewarding feeling you get from helping other people.”
Kim is part of Meeker’s eighth-grade leadership class taught by Travis Wood. The 25-student class helps raise money for the school, puts on school assemblies, runs a lunchtime recycling program and performs numerous other projects.
Wood also requires each student to do at least four hours of community service per quarter.
“It can be tough for middle school students to understand that it’s better to give than receive and that they do receive a lot by giving,” Wood said about the volunteer service.
Several students packaged pasta last month at Northwest Harvest. They enjoyed it so much they wanted to return this month to the warehouse. They brought back even more students as well as principal Jeffrey Pelzel.
“These kids will do this the rest of the year,” Wood said. “It’s a way to get community service and it gives them a good feeling to do the right thing.”
Wood got the idea for students to volunteer at Northwest Harvest through The Rotary Club of Kent, part of a Rotarian volunteer effort the second Saturday morning of each month at the warehouse.
“Self-sacrifice, volunteering and giving back to your community are all traits of an effective leader,” Wood said.
Students must apply to be in the leadership class. Wood reviews recommendations from other teachers before picking the class members.
“We promote to help the community to be a better place you need to give your time,” said Wood, in his second year of teaching the leadership class. “We try to always do something constructive and positive.”
Kim said students challenged themselves to make the work fun as they boxed up the apples at the warehouse.
“We would try to see who could do it faster and have the apples neatly in the boxes,” Kim said.
The work also gives the students a positive role in feeding the hungry.
“They learn there are less fortunate people in the community who don’t have food,” Wood said. “It gives them a chance to feel good about helping to support the community.”
For more information about Northwest Harvest, go to www.northwestharvest.org.
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