High School Students Volunteer for 'Cast a Can' on Election Day

Five years ago, Joyce Brown, a math teacher from Colonia High School, drove by a sign that encouraged voters to bring a can of food when they came to the polls to cast their vote. Brown decided to implement this clever idea in Woodbridge. After making the necessary contacts to get the program into full motion, she got her students at Colonia High School involved.

"Colonia was first, then we brought over JFK and Woodbridge," said Peter Barcellona, director of the 'We Feed Woodbridge' Committee. Brown has since retired but the program that she started still continues and is highly successful, explained Barcelona.

"She really built it up," said Barcellona.

Although the voter turn-out was expected to be comparatively low this year, Barcellona was enthusiastic as students continued to deliver containers full of non-perishable food items. The students were gathering the donations from polling places during Tuesday's primary election, then driving the foodstuffs to the Woodbridge Health Dept. building next to the main library. 

The health department building served as a 'staging ground,' Barcellona said, where the donations were sorted. On Wednesday, drivers from the township's 11 food pantried would come by and restock their shelves from the bounty provided by voters.

"We're happy with whatever we get. We don't complain. Times are tough," Barcellona said.

The student volunteers are part of the backbone of the whole operation, Barcellona explained, because they help to transport and gather together hundreds of canned goods that voters drop off at various locations throughout the township. Some locations included the Woodbridge Community Center, Mawbey Street School, Woodbridge and Iselin Middle Schools, and Woodbridge and Iselin firehouses, among others.

Sometimes the most difficult thing is getting the word out and increasing community involvement.

"The hardest part is telling the students about it and reminding them," said Kathy Flormann, a science teacher at Colonia High School, who is in charge of getting Colonia High School students involved with the project. "I teach freshman so it's especially difficult because many of them don't drive,". As a new tactic to increase participation next year, she plans to announce the volunteer opportunity at Parents' Night.

Tina Clark, an anatomy teacher at Woodbridge High School, revealed her technique for getting the students involved and keeping them involved. "I remind my kids in class constantly," said Clark.

Barcelona publicizes the event through other mediums in order to get the most participation when the election season comes along. "We advertise on TV 35, yard signs, the mayor puts the word out, too. Just any way we can to let others in town know about it," Barcellona said.

Many of the student volunteers generously jumped at the opportunity to help the community out by driving around to different voting locations.

"It's really a simple task. Other people bring the cans, so why not be the middleman and help transport them to where they need to go," said Martin Barany, a senior at Woodbridge High School, who will attend Rutgers University in the fall.

Andrew Visas went to the VFW 1352 to pick up canned goods donated by voters. "I know Ms. Clark and her father so when she asked me to do it, I was ready to help her out," said Visas, who is a Woodbridge High School student.

"I just did it to help out and get involved with the community," said Kimberly Hanks, a student at Colonia High School.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with indulging in a little personal gain when volunteering. "It looks good for college applications," said Colonia High School junior Jordan Swierk.