Alternative High School in Danbury Preps Free Thanksgiving Feast

DANBURY, CT — The Alternative Center for Excellence in Danbury will be hosting its Annual Thanksgiving Feast, Tuesday, Nov. 26, from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.

ACE, serving the City for 42 years, is a high school alternative for students who are struggling or at risk. It is funded by the Danbury Public Schools.

"It's the same graduation requirements, and basically the same curriculum," says Robert Melillo, who is president of the Connecticut Association of Alternative Schools and Programs, as well as a social studies teacher at ACE, "but with a more personalized approach to education."

The annual Thanksgiving tradition is nearly as old as the school itself.

"About 40 years ago, the school decided to open up the building just before Thanksgiving and hold a feast as our way of saying 'thank you' to the community for the contributions they have made to our building and to our program," Melillo said.

The feast is made possible in no small part by the contributions of Stew Leonard's, which donates about 30 turkeys for the event, and the culinary students at Henry Abbott Technical School, who do all the cooking. ACE pays for the trimmings and sides through their students' activities fee.

There is no charge for the meal, and the event is open to all. Melillo says ACE expects to serve between 300 and 400 people during those two hours on Tuesday.

The Alternative Center for Excellence is located at 26 Locust Avenue in Danbury.