Elementary Students Give Back Through Soup-er Bowl Drive

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Although second-grade teacher Cheryl Wisch won’t be watching the Super Bowl, she has some other traditions that make this time of year special to her. For about 20 years, she has led a Super Bowl-themed canned food drive at her campus.

During the Soup-er Bowl Soup Drive, teachers and students of J.L. Boren Elementary School collect cans to give to those in need. The drive is part of a service project for Bears Care, the school’s student council.

“I knew that food pantries after Christmas start running low because they’re depleted during Christmas,” said Wisch. “I’m trying to connect what’s happening in the world with ways to help others, so I came up with soup and Super Bowl because I know most of the kids do watch the Super Bowl.”

The Soup-er Bowl Soup Drive occurs annually the week before and after the Super Bowl. Boren Elementary usually donates about 15 boxes of canned goods to the Mansfield Mission Center.

Students also wear their favorite jersey to keep with the theme. 

“When we receive donations to our Mission Market, it gives families in our community another way to put food on the table if they're having financial difficulties,” said Carmin MacMillian, executive director of Mansfield Mission Center. “It's a way to show them love and let them know their community cares about them. We couldn't do what we do without the generosity of MISD.”

Wisch said she enjoys doing the canned food drive because the students get to experience giving to others with no reward.

“We try very hard to teach our kids service for others, and I think the parents appreciate we are trying to teach our students that,” she said.

Students who participated said they feel they are making a difference by bringing the cans.

“I think it’s important to help others because some people don’t have food, and then they can have food to stay alive and be healthy,” said Landry Slinkard, second-grader at Boren Elementary.

Their team may not win the big game on Sunday, but Soup-er Bowl Soup Drive organizers said the drive is still a touchdown for the community. The Mansfield Mission Center is open to donations from anyone. Its hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Student Athlete Loses Vision, But Not Her Great Attitude

Jobe eighth grader Mady Walker

In the span of nine months, Jobe Middle School student Madelyn Walker went from being a volleyball player and competitive dancer to losing her vision and using a wheelchair for assistance.

“I couldn’t see peripherally in my right eye, and then it just started getting worse,” said the 14-year-old who goes by Mady.

“In August of 2013, she woke up one day and told me, ‘Momma, I can’t see,’” said Mady’s mother Kati Walker, the principal’s secretary at Jobe. “I said, ‘What do you mean you can’t see?’ and she said, ‘My vision’s really blurry.’”

After an MRI, doctors discovered that Mady had optic neuritis, an inflammation of the optic nerve that causes blurred or dimmed vision.

Later that month, Mady started losing feeling in her right leg. She now uses a brace to help her walk and utilizes a wheelchair for longer distances because she gets easily fatigued.

Doctors think she suffers from mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes—better known as MELAS syndrome. The disease affects many of the body’s systems, particularly the brain and nervous system.

The eighth grader has been given a life expectancy of mid-30s. Although the news shocked the Walker family, they said they try to always keep a positive outlook about it.

(L-R) Jobe girl's athletic coordinator Stephanie Upshaw,
Mady Walker, and mother Kati Walker

“I’m still in denial about the whole thing,” said Kati Walker. “Sometimes, I wake up and think she’ll be all better. But you just have to do what you have to do and take life one day at a time.”

Mady’s diagnosis hasn’t stopped her from staying active in school. She is student council president, bassoon player in the Honors Band, and member of the National Junior Honor Society.

Even with all of her activities, Mady said she misses being in sports.

“I was only able to play in one volleyball game last school year before my vision started getting worse, and I couldn’t even try out for basketball,” said Mady. “I never really got a chance to say goodbye to sports.”

That is, until Thursday night.

Jobe girl’s athletics coordinator Stephanie Upshaw wanted to give Mady one last chance to play on the court again. She coordinated with the coach at T.A. Howard Middle School to allow Mady to shoot the basketball one more time in a competitive game.

“Mady is an outstanding student and person with an outstanding attitude,” said Upshaw. “She might not have this opportunity again, so we wanted to make it happen for her.”

Mady Walker scoring two points for her team.

The play went as planned, and Mady made the shot—a move that finally brought her closure.

Mady still has big plans for the future. She wants to be a neonatal nurse and continue living life as usual. She hopes that her story can help people learn to always be grateful.

“Never take anything in life for granted because you could wake up one day, and it could be taken away from you.”