ANDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Principal's offices are usually filled with students and teachers in middle schools. At Clinton Middle School, an assistant principal's office was filled with something else.
Students filled it with hundreds of cans and boxes of food for families in need. They stacked cans and covered the floor with donations in Assistant Principal Josh Reid's office Friday morning, in honor of Director Appreciation Day. Officials said dozens of families in Anderson County will be able to eat a Thanksgiving meal due to the donations.
Every student in the school donated a non-perishable food item, officials said. One teacher donated more food in a shopping cart. In addition to the cans and boxes, staff donated $1,000 to go towards turkeys for people in need over Thanksgiving.
Virtual students could also participate in the donations, officials said. A staff member held a laptop with students on a Zoom call while students packed into the office, dropping off food.
Students who brought in a food item could wear a hat to school on Friday, officials said. A drop-off bin was placed outside the school's front door for virtual students who wanted to bring food for the donation drive.
Officials said Reid is usually organized, and they wanted to change that during the drive.
"Let's fill Mr. Reid's office with so many food items (canned goods, etc.) that he can barely get to his desk!" officials said on the school's Facebook page.
