KING -- This year, Jessica Pegram wanted to do more to support the King Outreach Ministry than she has in previous years as a student at West Stokes High School.
"As a senior, I felt some responsibility," she said.
By the time she was done, Pegram had personally paid for and brought in 173 food and personal-care items for the ministry to distribute to those in need.
"She went all out," said Misti Holloway, the West Stokes teacher who oversees the annual drives.
Altogether, the students, faculty members and staff members at West Stokes contributed 14,074 items -- canned and boxed food and such personal-care items as sanitary products, toothpaste and shampoo. Schools throughout the county, both public and private, participated in the drive, said Mike Culler, the ministry's director. West Stokes, which has about 1,200 students, was the biggest contributor.
"What they raised was just about what I raised from all the other schools combined," Culler said.
Inspired to do more
For Pegram, it started with a stop at the Aldi store that she and her mother, Rebecca, pass each Sunday on the way to her grandfather's house. When they got into the checkout line with a total of 60 cans of soup and boxes of macaroni and cheese, another woman in line started asked Pegram about all the food she had.
After Pegram told the woman why she was buying the food, the woman told her that she had once been helped by an outreach ministry and about how much that had meant to her. That inspired Pegram even more, and she ended up going back other days to buy more items.
By the time she was done, she had spent about $140 -- money that she made working after school at the Whistle Stop Grill.
Exceeded the goal
Pegram, 18, plans to go to East Carolina University. She would like to become a high-school art teacher, which would combine her love of teaching and of art.
"It's really something I enjoy," she said.
Holloway, who teaches English, has been helping various students groups organize the annual drives for a number of years. Culler is her father, and his passion has become her passion.
"I know there is a big need," she said.
The goal for this year was 10,000 items. Holloway said that she was surprised and thrilled that they were able to exceed the goal by so much.
"I really thought we would have low numbers because of everything that is going on in the economy," she said.
Each year, everyone comes up with a fun incentive for the students. One year, the principal vowed to shave his head if the school reached its goal.
This year, the Top 10 collectors -- of which Pegram was one -- were invited to plant a pie squarely in the face of a teacher or assistant principal at an assembly on Friday afternoon.
Although Pegram thought that would be fun, she said that's not why she did what she did.
"It really feels good to be able to help someone, even if you don't know who it is," she said.
■ Kim Underwood can be reached at 727-7389 or at kunderwood@wsjournal.com.
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