During Rockwood Reading Week, March 1-5, Lafayette has paired up with Operation Food Search (OFS) to launch a school-wide canned food drive themed “FEED BEFORE YOU READ.”

Students are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items through a variety of incentive opportunities like the elimination of fines and fees and a competition between grade-level hallways.

For every five cans, the Library will waive a fine on an overdue book. For every 10 cans, a parking fine will be waived.

Teachers will keep track of how many cans each class donates and students can tell them which fines they wish to have eliminated, and the teachers will record how many cans their students bring.

Receptacles will be placed in each classroom and department area along with areas such as the Library, Gym and FACS Rooms. At the end of the week, those teachers will negotiate which grade-level hallways will receive credit for the donations.

The winning grade-level principal will receive a trophy accompanied with a gold plated canned good and a forged autographed copy of Steinbeck’s “Cannery Row.”

The cans will be collected by OFS at the end of the week and donated to 265 food pantries and soup kitchens throughout the St. Louis area.