Rivalries are often characterized by animosity and tend to create separation within a community, but two local schools are actively changing this. Dacula High School and Mill Creek High School have established a way to use their intense hometown rivalry as a fuel for philanthropy through a good old-fashioned food fight.
Last year, the schools’ student councils joined forces for the greater good. Their idea was to motivate students and members of the community to donate canned goods to benefit local food pantries by pitting the two schools against each other. Last year’s response exceeded expectations, with over 45,000 pounds of food collected. The winning margin was close, with Mill Creek beating Dacula by only 0.104 pounds per student.
This year, the schools have extended their reach by creating more drop-off locations and have begun working with more organizations, such as the Lawrenceville Co-Op, in order to deepen their impact and provide more people with the opportunity to benefit from their donations.
The schools will be collecting goods from August 21 – 31 and will have many drop off locations, including at the elementary, middle, and high schools.
Both clusters are eager to face-off in their football game on September 1st as well as in their service to the community through the Friday Night Food Fight.
“This fight is more than just a rivalry,” said Dacula’s Student Body President Tayo Akinsanya. “The meaning is deeper than that. This is to help and to provide what we can for both of our communities.”
