Fitch students ask for jean donations

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Students at Austintown Fitch High School are asking community members to donate a pair of jeans for the poor during this holiday season.

Jeans can be dropped off at the high school until Jan. 15. There also will be a jeans-collection night from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and again Jan. 15 for Creative Arts Night at the high school.

“That is the No. 1 request [from the poor]: A simple pair of jeans,” said Steve Ward, the teacher behind the project.

Ward’s life literature class decided to see if it could bring in 1,000 pairs of jeans or more for the needy. The class is all about learning life lessons.

Ward said having a service project such as this allows the students to use the tools they learned in the class such as reaching out.

“It’s taking that idea and applying it,” he said.

The elective class has 27 students in it. Ward said since they began collecting Dec. 5 they already have at least 20 pairs. The project is part of a national campaign called “Teens for Jeans.”

Austintown Fitch High School is at 4560 Falcon Drive. There is a drop-off bin for the public.