In the words of Panther Valley science teacher Stefanie Palina, her fourth grade students demonstrated “generosity, curiosity and a collaborative spirit.”

The students held a “cereal box challenge,” in which they collected boxes of cereal to donate to local food pantries. Palina tied the project into a science lesson.

The youngsters collected a total of 304 boxes.

Palina then formed the boxes into a large letter “P” for Panther Valley in the Middle School gym in such a way that a domino effect would occur when the end one was pushed over. After all the fourth-grade students gathered in the gym, the student who collected the most boxes of cereal had the honors of starting the chain reaction of toppled containers.

That student was Alexa Lienhard, who donated 70 boxes.

Her classmates cheered as the boxes began falling in the nexus. Palina recorded the event.

Palina said, “This engaging activity will help reinforce our current science concepts, including force, energy transfer and collisions.”

She added, “And it’s a nice way to give back to the community.”

The boxes of cereal were then donated to the food pantries in Lansford, Nesquehoning and Summit Hill.

This is the second year Palina had her students engage in the cereal box challenge. She said last year about 150 boxes were donated, with the amount more than doubled this year.

“I’m thrilled with this year’s total, especially how the economy is right now,” she said.

The top five student donors were recognized.

After Lienhard, the others were Madison Bales, 52 boxes; Jovie Yusella, 44 boxes; Jasson Hicks, 30 boxes, and Isaiah Davison, 26 boxes.