North and South High helped End 68 Hours of Hunger

By Mimi Vanderhaven

When it comes to school spirit, a friendly rivalry between two high schools within the same school district can be a very good thing, especially during the schools’ annual Spirit Week.

This year the 2,500-plus Ranger and Rebel students from North High School in Eastlake and South High School in Willoughby raised more than $17,000 to go to a local charity—End 68 Hours of Hunger—as well as give back to students in need in each school.

“Our students ran several activities to raise money, including the Rebel Olympics, with the different grades competing against each other in fun challenges like balloon races with flyswatters,” says Laura Albertone, who is co-advisor of South High School’s Student Council along with Jessica Sinkovic.

At North High, the staff versus student volleyball game was a big hit.

Girls from both schools squared off during the girls’ powder puff flag football game.

North High School Principal Eric Frei says the true spirit in Spirit Week was collaboration.

“This just shows you the power of working together,” he says. “And it’s impressive how hard these students worked. They wanted to keep the funds they raised close to home and End 68 Hours of Hunger is an excellent example of that effort.”

This grassroots, non-profit, volunteer-run group feeds 500 food-insecure families in Lake County by preparing food bags with ingredients for meals to last the weekend, or 68 hours, sent home each Friday.

South High School Principal Robin Hopkins reports that all of the student body participated in this effort in one way or another.

“What excites me most about Spirit Week is that although the fundraising person who handled this previously could not do it this year, so our students rallied and figured out a way to make it happen and then worked to achieve that. This was truly student-driven,” she says.

Spirit Week capped off with the North-South football game on Saturday, where on the field at halftime Superintendent Steve Thompson, sporting a jersey made from half a Ranger jersey and half a Rebel jersey, recognized students and teachers for their successful fundraising efforts.

Look for these monthly stories to cover topics from grades K-12 in the Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools System. For details, visit WESchools.org. To donate to End 68 Hours of Hunger, visit End68HoursofHunger.org.