Northridge High School students deliver food donations for homeless teens

LAYTON — Marching to the beat of the Northridge High School drumline, while chanting, dancing and cheering, around a hundred or more students made their way through the neighborhood between their school and North Layton Junior High Friday.

"For me, it's part of serving the community," Trevin Crabtree, a junior, said. "And it's just something fun to do. A way to give back to the community."

"I hope with all of this that we can really, really make a difference in our community," Israel, another student, added.

All of the students are members of Northridge's National Honor Society. Adviser Jessica Holtry said she had been encouraging the teens to look for ways to help the community.

"I love seeing what change and impact you can make with these kids," Holtry said. "And to see these kids look outside themselves, to notice need and to want to help is tremendous."

The food drive started to come together after some of the students heard of a need from Melonie Harris, who heads up teen centers at both Northridge High and North Layton Junior High Schools. Harris said the food pantry at North Layton was growing low on supplies.

"We have a lot of students in our community that struggle, that don't have food at home," Harris said. "They asked if they could help. And we were like, 'Yes, we would love some help.' And they brought it. They helped us so much. They brought so much food, and we're so excited."

What started as an effort to fill the one pantry turned into much more. Students walked alongside seven large pickups full of food and several more wagons that were being pulled alongside the group.

"We didn't know how great this would turn out, but the amount of food we got was just insane," Austin Romney, a sophomore, said. "We had problems with figuring out what to do with it."

Harris said the food will now be divided up between several teen center pantries in north Davis County.

"It is so emotional and so impressive that one community can come together and help," Harris said. "It's amazing. We're so appreciative."

Holtry said honor society students did all the organizing, from the soliciting and collection of donations to the details of the parade.

"That's a moment these kids are never going to forget," Holtry said. "And if I had a small piece in that, I will be forever grateful."

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