ASFMS Admins Make Good on Promise to Students

Four administrators from Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School fulfilled promises yesterday that were made to students last month.

Beginning on Nov. 26 until Dec. 19, the ASFMS Student Council in conjunction with the Feinstein Good Deeds program, sponsored a food drive for 'Tis the Season and the Coventry Community Food Bank. The drive is an annual event and this year's goal was to collect 8,000 cans.

To motivate students, several administrators made promises that they would have to fulfill if the 8,000 cans of food were collected. And motivate they did. As of Wednesday, the students had collected 12,545 non-perishable food items, far surpassing their goal.

On Thursday morning, after the music department's winter concert, the students redeemed their rewards:

Asst. Principal Dr. Arthur Lisi greeted the students dressed as Glinda the Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz, complete with flowing locks and magic wand. Lisi frequently tells a Wizard of Oz-themed parable to incoming middle school students to illustrate their ability to change for the better in their new environment.

Principal Jennifer Roy followed through with her promise to dye her hair bright red, which she later learned will likely last through the holidays.

Asst. Principal Daniel Smith agreed to grow his hair for the remainder of the school year and donned a curly wig to foreshadow what he'll look like in June when the five students who collected the most food get to help shave his head.

Behavior Specialist Kim Sturdahl entered the auditorium carrying a small dry-erase board - her only means of communication after promising to remain silent for an entire day.

"Mrs. Sturdahl talks all the time, all day long," joked Roy.

Of the 12 teams of students at ASFMS, the Olympus team collected the most items during the food drive - a total of 3,389 cans. Their success earned them a pizza party and dodge ball game in which Dr. Lisi participated. 

The drive's top five students were:

Andrea Gustafson, Tahiti Team, collected 768 cans, 

Dennis Sewchuk, Inferno Team, collected 471 cans

Jared Brennan, Olympus Team, collected 241 cans

Natalie Furtado, Olympus Team, collected 203 cans

Hailey McAteer (Jamaica Team) who collected 200 cans 

"We are so proud of how much food the students collected," said Roy. "There was a lot of deviously playful competition this year which made it fun. The generosity that we have as a school is tremendous."