John Tyler and Robert E. Lee students love a good competition.
On Saturday not only were they competing on the football field but also in the 29th annual East Texas Food Bank Pantry Raid at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.
For the second straight year, John Tyler took home the trophy. When the winner was announced at halftime on Earl Campbell Field, JT students, along with principal Chanel Howard-Veazy, jumped up and down with joy before converging in a group huddle.
The two schools combined to raise a record 96,655 pounds of food that equals 79,713 meals, East Texas Food Bank officials said.
Over the past 28 years, John Tyler and Robert E. Lee students have collected more than 1.4 million pounds of food combined, providing over 1.1 million additional meals to children, families and seniors served by the East Texas Food Bank.
JT not only won for the second consecutive year, but the Lions have come out on top eight of the last nine times in the competition.
”The Pantry Raid matters because our East Texas communities sorely need the energetic engagement of our young people in the fight against hunger,” East Texas Food Bank CEO Dennis Cullinane said earlier in the week. “The student bodies of Tyler Lee and John Tyler are our future and through Pantry Raid are making a substantial contribution towards building a better world — and we are grateful.”
