San Mateo breaks world record

"It's an amazing feeling. This is the year of the bearcat," said senior Kristen Ferraro. "The incentive to this is that warm, fuzzy feeling you get in the bottom of your heart."

With this stellar achievement, the bearcats retain the number one spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for canned food drives. The school has held the title for the past several years and doesn't plan on giving it up easily. Aside from last year, the school has consistently broken its own record.

Last year the bearcats fell short of their 330,000-pound goal but came back strong this year. They collected 57,000 pounds of food and about $71,000. Each dollar is equivalent to four cans of food.

The accomplishment is just one shining moment in what's turning out to be an outstanding year for the 101-year-old high school. In November, the football team reached its peak and took home the Central Coast Section title with a near-flawless record. The can food drive offers students a different trophy - a bearcat holding a can of food.

The school donated almost 60,000 pounds of food to Second Harvest. The donation equals about 120,000 meals. That's up 11 percent from last year and makes San Mateo High's contribution valuable, said Jenny Luciano, director of communications for Second Harvest Food Bank.

"This is an enormous contribution and the magnitude is amazing. San Mateo High School participation is among the very best school performances annually," said Luciano.

So what does it take to make the list of top benefactors to one of county's largest charitable organization? Team work.

From freshman to parents and everyone in between, each day was a well-planned out assault on the hearts of shoppers across the county. From Palo Alto to Millbrae, students bundled up and pleaded for dollars or cans in front of grocery stores.

"We're all pretty excited and satisfied," said student government advisor Fara Catalli. "The students really banded together. It's really exciting and they know they made a big difference."

Students transformed the dance studio into the "can depot" and scheduled Second Harvest Food Bank pick ups three times a week. In the final days, students collected between 14,000 and 20,000 pounds of food and two San Mateo alumni rented a truck to help tote the big load.

Despite the mostly altruistic nature of the drive, there was also a low level of competition pushing the collection, said Ferraro.

Teachers offered incentives to their homeroom classes for bringing in canned food or money. This year one freshman class won bragging rights and gets to hold on to the bear trophy for the next year after collecting just under 40,000 pounds of food.

Ferraro gives credit where it's due - even if it's to her little brother who is part of the winning class. She can handle his big mouth, knowing all the money they raised together is going to feed empty ones throughout the county.

Second Harvest is still collecting

· Holiday drives continues through end of January.

· To donate, visit www.2ndharvest.net or call 1-866-234-3663.

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.