'Can' you top this? Best skit

Sing, dance, and donate was the message at the Student Food Drive Kick-off party.  

Students from high schools all over the Quad Cities area, including Orion, gathered at the River Bend Foodbank on the night of Tuesday, Sept. 30.  

The 23rd annual kick-off party and talent show was held, as always, to reflect on the past year’s accomplishments, and strive for bigger and better goals this year.  

Food is especially needed now with rising unemployment rates and rising prices for many goods. 

Students from 21 schools made up a skit that went along with the food drive theme. All of the performances were judged by a five-person panel from the drive’s sponsor pool.  

The performances were judged on the originality, team spirit, content, TV-friendliness, and staying under the 1-minute mark.  

The top two were asked to perform again before the judges determined a winner.  

The Orion High School Student Council, having never won before, brought in outside help. 

Andrea Kapusinski, the choir teacher at both Orion Middle School and OHS, was recruited for help in choreography, singing and overall appearance.  

The students selected a “Grease” theme. Rather than singing “You’re the one that I want,” the students sang, “You’re the can that I want.”  

Lead singers Danny and Sandy were chosen, president Jim Hills and Alyssa Anderson, respectively.

Eight background singers and dancers also accompanied them. “The Pink Ladies” happily passed food behind the main singers and joined in the singing and dancing. 

Before the 1-minute skit was over the group, everyone shouted “Donate Food!”  

When all of the schools had taken their turn, the two schools that were called back were Quad City Christian School and Orion High School. 

After one more performance, OHS was announced as the winner by a 1-point margin.  

As the winner, OHS received the Thoms Ton award, an award of 2,000 pounds of food added to the schools total. 

In addition the skit will air on WQAD-TV and KWQC-TV in public service announcements about the food drive. 

All of the schools will compete until Thursday, Nov. 6, to see who can bring in the most pounds of food. 

Last year OHS collected 3,635 pounds of food. The total was up 35.8 percent from 2006. 

This year the goal is to gather over 4,000 pounds. With the 2,000 pound bonus, OHS is already well on the way of breaking the record once again.

The students would appreciate any help from area residents.  

Anyone interested in donating food to OHS can bring non-perishable items to a table in the commons.  

Each school is limited to 1,000-lbs. each of flour and sugar. OHS is almost at the limit for flour but still needs sugar.

Money may be left in the office.