Students at Edison Intermediate School donated 10 food baskets, 37 frozen turkeys and hundreds of pounds of assorted non-perishable foods to the needy this Thanksgiving. 

The school-wide drive was organized by the Upstanding Citizens Council (UCC), a newly formed group of 49 eighth graders whose counselors encourage the students to lead by example. 

“They are learning to make service part of their lives so it becomes second nature,” stated Counselor Marci Schoenbach. 

Students Rachel Levy, Marina DeCotiis and Felicia Mermer organized a bake sale raising $150 to purchase additional food.  All of the food was brought to the Holy Trinity Food Pantry and the Mandy Reichman Feeding Program of Temple Emanu-El.

The UCC’s next project will involve collecting games, books, cards, and activities to equip a homeless shelter’s community room in Newark. The collection area will be in the lobby of Edison Intermediate School from Nov. 28 through Dec. 21.