214@100: The Hersey Service Over Self food drive

The annual Service Over Self club food drive proves the depth of the hearts of the John Hersey High School students, staff and faculty. Each year, thousands of cans are collected and distributed to St. Augustine food pantry in Chicago and local pantries. Competition between second-hour classes has been known to fuel much of the collection and brings in a majority of the cans. "The rivalries between classes definitely motivated our class to bring in as many cans as possible, but we knew that no matter who won, we were making a positive impact on our community," senior Allison Van Staalduinen said. This District 214 centennial year marked the largest collection to date, with 51,000 cans brought in at Hersey and more than 120,000 districtwide. "I am so proud to be a part of this school's food drive," Van Staalduinen said. "Our numbers just keep increasing, and this year was very special."

• 214@100 is a celebration of District 214's centennial; 100 people, places, things and events that have shaped its unique history. To contribute ideas, email us at

district214@dailyherald.com.