Thanksgiving is just around the corner and Adam’s annual can drive is in full swing. The can drive this year takes place from November 13-November 17.

The week consists of students bringing in cans and raising money for the local charity, the Rochester Neighborhood House. This charity is a nonprofit human service organization that works to help those neighbors in financial crisis. They work together with the community to help the families in need become self-sustainable.

Their website states that the “Neighborhood House believes that neighbors helping neighbors is the model of a strong community.”

This year’s can drive competition consists of teachers being divided into four teams: white, brown, gold, and black. The teacher from each winning team will win a food party for each of their classes. The black team only has three members: Mr. Lovalvo, Mr. Hickey, and Mr. Picot. Mr. Lovalvo has been notorious for winning the can drive, and this year, he plans on doing the same. Last year, the school raised over 38,000 cans. This year, the goal is to raise even more.

“The reason I am so passionate about the can drive is because of past teachers, like Janie Barner, Joe Ciluffo, and Steve Shultz, who have paved the way for us as school culture to care about people that are less fortunate than others. And my own daughter who shamed me into participating because I wasn’t taking it seriously enough,” said Lovalvo.

“I love the can drive because it gets the whole school involved, and I think it is a productive way Rochester Adams can give back to the community,” said senior Alanis Lee.

Many teachers are also offering incentives to their classes to motivate their students to donate more. But although winning the can drive and getting incentives can be exciting, it is important to remember that our main goal is to help others.