New Canaan Country School Ninth Graders Organize Food Drive

New Canaan Country School ninth graders delivered “Dove bags” of food for 43 local families in need, Dec. 19. Working in teams led by ninth grade Teacher Elizabeth Carroll and captained by Amitav Nott and Bridget Keogh, both of New Canaan, and Gigi Morgan of Darien, the 38 students gathered, packed, recorded and transported the collected items to the Food Bank.
The Dove Program, currently in its 50th year, is organized by Person-to-Person, a non-profit organization located in Darien and Norwalk. The food was donated by students in the school’s Middle (Grades 5 & 6) and Upper (Grades 7-9) divisions.

The effort was a part of the school’s service learning program and was organized by members of the Ninth Grade Service Leadership Committee which includes Alex Almeida, Andrew Almeida, Cody Comyns, Reed Parmelee and Noah Rizvi, all of New Canaan, Anthony Crossman of Stamford, Mason Pratt of Trumbull, and Jack DeGulis and Gwen Thompson, both of Darien.

“Through this program, the students are able to take an active role in responding to the needs of members in our community who might otherwise go without this holiday season,” said Country School Teacher and Service Learning Co-Director Will McDonough. “This is one of several community outreach initiatives in which we work to bring to life components of our mission statement: ‘To teach personal, social and environmental responsibility to create a community that honors diversity and our common humanity.’

New Canaan Country School is a co-ed, independent, day school for students in Pre-K (ages 3 & 4) through Grade 9. Located on a 75 acre campus in New Canaan, the school provides transportation for families living in throughout Fairfield and Westchester counties. For more information about the school, please visit: www.countryschool.net.

PHOTO CAPTION

1. Members of New Canaan Country School’s Ninth Grade Service Leadership Committee, Reed Parmelee and Alex Almeida, both of New Canaan.