The Mustangs took on another victorious endeavor to take down the Aztecs, all in good fun and all for a great cause. Yorba Linda High School hosted a canned food drive spanning over the course of two weeks, from January 7th to January 18th. The school collected cans to donate to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, feeding families in need across the county.

Throughout the duration of the drive, ASB heavily promoted the event, ensuring high participation with students. The Yorba Linda campus was covered in eye-catching posters and elaborate decorations, loudly reminding students to donate. Many Mustangs also took to their social medias to further publicize the canned food drive.

Along with many leadership students, teachers and staff were also working hard to encourage more donations. School-wide, a competition between language arts classes was orchestrated, awarding the highest donating class an exciting prize. The contest left students and teachers vying for the number one spot, increasing donations and furthering the cause. Many teachers also provided students with small incentives within their classroom to help improve the donation numbers.

To give students further incentive to donate, Yorba Linda High School used the long-established rivalry with Esperanza High School to encourage further participation. As many students, both Aztecs and Mustangs, are dedicated to the rivalry and hungry for victory, donations soared even higher on both ends. “Canning” the Aztecs was a strong motivation for many students to further their involvement in the charitable fundraiser.

This event has been a large component of every school year at Yorba Linda High School. It typically coincides with a Battle of the Boulevards sporting event, elevating school spirit and competitiveness with both schools. Yorba Linda High School students and faculty worked tirelessly to defend their title and secure their fourth consecutive win for the canned food drive.

Following the conclusion of the fundraiser, both schools painted their signs which would display the number of cans collected throughout the two weeks. These posters were revealed during the Yorba Linda vs. Esperanza varsity basketball game. As the unveiling took place, students were at the edge of their seats in anticipation, each school hoping to reveal the larger number. The endless efforts and high dedication of Mustangs paid off, with Yorba Linda taking home yet another victory. Those who were heavily involved in the drive and big contributors to the win, such as Alyssa Jamison (11)  were “genuinely shocked that we had that many cans.” It was an exciting success, that all Mustangs felt extremely proud of.  

While beating the other school was a pivotal point in the canned food drive, the true win was being able to feed so many hungry children and their families. The collective number of donations raised at both schools was an achievement that extends far beyond the gates of a high school, or even the confines of a city. Helping those in need is an accomplishment completely in itself. Each individual, both Mustangs and Aztecs, walked home as winners, having contributed to the fight against hunger.