Skylar Webb, Gilpin County. The Gilpin County teachers and students have responded to the community by supporting the school through “Adopt-A-Teacher” and other community programs by giving back with a Reverse Advent Calendar. 

The idea was presented to the elementary staff by two of the teachers, Kathy Kelly and Lynda Sypert. The calendar is an outline as to what foods should be brought in each day. For example, on November 18 the food was a box of cereal, and on December 3 was a package of oatmeal. 

The calendar started November 18th and goes until December 11th when the food will be gathered and donated to the food bank. Students work each day to bring the different types of food required and add them to a food bag. The foods include canned foods like canned fruits, canned green beans, and canned tuna, box desserts and boxes of cereal, packages of oats, rice, and pasta, and other sealed and packaged foods. The initial goal was for teachers to raise 20 bags of food, but so far students and teachers have gathered about 30 bags, passing their goal with one week left to continue bringing in more food! 

Once the last day of the calendar is completed, the food will eventually be dropped-off at the food bank, wrapping up the Advent calendar. 

(Originally published in the December 10, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)