Neveln Elementary School students collected 1,002 pounds of cans, boxes, bottles and bags for the Salvation Army’s food shelf Nov. 17-21.

All classes in grades 1 through 5 contended in the annual Neveln Student Council Food Drive for the grand prize — a party.

“We’re now competing with the school to see who can bring the most food,” student council president Emma O’Connor said Friday as they organized the donations. “We have to put them all in the boxes. They can even bring Kool-Aid if they want to.

“We get to help people who need it,” O’Connor said.

The fifth-grader explained that each class counts their collection, which includes non-perishable food items, and then the student council tallies the class numbers together.

“It’s got to be twice as much as last year,” guessed student council member Matt Neumann.

According to principal Jean McDermott, the amount collected this year was actually comparable to the last food drive.

“I feel fortunate that during these economic times, we are still able to donate to the food shelf,” McDermott said Friday.