March Madness: not just about basketball anymore

The month of March holds many students and staff at Patrick M. Villano School on the edge of their seats. March Madness – the NCAA basketball tournament – has started, but basketball is not the only game in town. Students and staff are involved in a competitive food drive. They are racing to donate the most canned and boxed food items. The homeroom with the most donations wins the school wide contest. Student Congress sponsors the annual food drive. President Nathaniel Falcon thinks the drive will teach students some valuable lessons.

“By donating I believe the students will have a happier self, knowing that these food donations will help those people in need,” Falcon said. “I believe that students bring in food because they all have a desire to give back to the society, showing one or more pillars of respect.”

Each Student Congress homeroom representative checks expiration dates and counts donations every Friday morning until the contest is over on March 21. That is also the day the winning homeroom class is announced.

First, each class goes head-to-head against another class in on their grade level. If they win the first round, that class goes against the other winner in their grade. When the class wins their grade level, they go against another class on a different grade level. If they beat that grade, they go up against the other winning grade. The winning homeroom will get the honor of helping load the donations onto the donation truck, which will bring the donations to people who need them. 

“By giving back we would save people from hunger for that day, week, month, for a year or years,” Falcon said.