U-Hi leadership’s food drive thrives

Thursday morning was a flurry of counting and sorting as University High School Associated Student Body officers went through the last of the food collected during the school’s annual food drive and loaded it on a truck destined for the Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank.

As students hurried to sort and bag items, people were still bringing donations to be counted. By the end of the morning the estimated total stood at 15,894 points. Students earn one point for each pound of food and three points for each dollar donated. The total included more than $1,750 in cash.

The annual effort, called “Munch Madness” used to be held in March. Classes compete against each other using a bracket system patterned after the college basketball March Madness. But teachers complained about the timing because the school does WASL testing in March and it’s also the end of the trimester, said ASB adviser Jessi Boschma.

This is the first year the school held the drive in November. “We’ve definitely had more food come in this year,” Boschma said. “I can’t believe how much more.”

Farewell to EV’s Sine

The East Valley School District will host a farewell ceremony for retiring school board director June Sine, who has served on the board for 18 years.

The ceremony is set for Monday from 3 to 5 p.m. in the East Valley High School Library, 15711 E. Wellesley Ave.