This year, 1,400 boxes of cereal are headed to Dayspring Center to help feed the homeless. The annual cereal drive has given those in need of food as well as students in need of some extra math points a boost during these cold winter months.

Dayspring Center is a homeless shelter in Downtown Indianapolis to which the school has been donating for years through the annual cereal drive.

Senior Victoria Gallant gets fired up around this time because of the family ties that come with this program. “My favorite part of the collection is that my brothers and I have been doing it for years, so it is a family thing and I get excited every year when this time comes around,” Gallant said.

This year senior Sarah Kent, junior Will A’Hearn and Gallant all helped to collect, count and deliver the boxes of cereal.

Students were able to benefit from the cereal drive not only through their service to the homeless, but academically as well. For one box of cereal, students could earn one bonus point in their math class. For two boxes, students could earn two extra credit points as well as county points. Gallant said, “Remember, not only are you helping the homeless, but this could be the difference between an A and a B.”

After an 1,500 boxes were collected last year, Gallant was hopeful that they could reach a goal of 1,600 this year. “The goal was not met, but I think the (eLearning Days) might have messed us up a bit this year and we kept having to extend the final collection day,” Gallant said. Nevertheless, Gallant and her partners were happy with the 1,400 boxes that were collected.

She said she hopes the cereal drive will continue to thrive in the coming years as it is put into new hands.