Ryan Gloyer Middle School eighth-grader Lilia Maschmeier loads canned goods Wednesday with classmates, part of a Seneca Valley districtwide effort she organized for her gifted program project. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

JACKSON TWP — An eighth-grader’s idea in a gifted education class at Ryan Gloyer Middle School resulted in nearly 7,000 nonperishable food items for distribution to the needy in Southwestern Butler County.

Lilia Maschmeier, 13, said her class took a deep dive into food waste during the class curriculum “think bigger.”

Ryan Gloyer Middle School eighth-grader Lilia Maschmeier loads canned goods onto a truck with classmates, part of a Seneca Valley districtwide effort she organized for her gifted program project, on Wednesday. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

Lilia decided to take on a project to hold a food drive among the students and staff at the middle school, which educates students in seventh and eighth grades in the Seneca Valley School District.

With Lilia at the helm, about 90 students in the gifted education program collected 350 nonperishable food items for the Help Your Neighbor food pantry at Victory Family Church in Cranberry Township.

Lilia Maschmeier, 13, left, and classmates at Seneca Valley's Ryan Gloyer Middle School help load canned goods on a truck for Maschmeier's districtwide food drive project Wednesday. A school official said they believe close to 7,000 items were collected. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

Lilia then attempted to institute a program to collect unused food from local businesses, but that task proved too cumbersome for a full-time middle school student.

So the enterprising teen decided to try a districtwide food drive, complete with prizes for classes that collected the most food.

Lilia met with Anthony Babusci and Trisha Butschle, RGMS principal and assistant principal, to ask their opinions on the large project.

“They loved the idea and helped me figure out what to do next,” Lilia said of the meeting. “I think I’m really fortunate to have them, because they were always there helping me through the entire project.”

Per her principals’ advice, Lilia made a video on the food drive and called the principals in each district building to tell them about the drive.

“They all immediately loved it,” Lilia said.

She created a flyer and sent it to each principal, along with a copy of the video she had made.

Lilia then consulted with the principals on the best way to advertise the food drive.

Lilia Maschmeier, 13, right, John Markivich, 14, and classmates at Seneca Valley's Ryan Gloyer Middle School help load canned goods on a truck for Maschmeier's districtwide food drive project Wednesday. A school official said they believe close to 7,000 items were collected. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

She chose Help Your Neighbor after participating in a summer band camp at Victory Family Church over the summer.

“I saw the impact of the food bank as the people were picking up their food, and the enthusiasm of the food bank workers,” Lilia said.

Regarding prizes for classes that raised the most food items, Lilia worked with a secretary at RGMS to get prizes from Dairy Queen and Fun Fore All in Cranberry Township, and called the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex to get ice skating passes.

She also secured a pool party at the Cranberry Township Community Waterpark for the secondary-level class that donated the most food.

“They all immediately loved the (food drive) idea and donated the prizes,” Lilia said.

Eden Leskovac, 14, right, and Trista Tappe, 14, hand food items to teacher Ezekiel Stroupe with classmates at Seneca Valley's Ryan Gloyer Middle School on Wednesday. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

Initially, Lilia imagined awarding younger students with extra recess time as a food drive prize, and wondered what award upper grades could win.

“I never thought it would turn into something this big,” Lilia said. “I learned that all of the businesses in our community are extremely generous and willing to help make a difference in people’s lives.”

Lilia’s gifted education teacher, Ezekiel Stroupe, said each student in his “Purpose” class chose a project to pursue for the entire school year.

They all had one period per week during the year to work on their projects.

Lilia, Stroupe said, worked with her other teachers to get more time to work on the Herculean task of carrying out the food drive.

“She made up the (school) work,” Stroupe said. “She’s incredible. I’m really proud of her for doing something so selfless to help the community and going above and beyond.”

Butschle, assistant principal, called Lilia “a phenomenal kid.”

“She’s reaching out to help so many in a generous, heartfelt way,” Butschle said. “One student brought 215 items in this morning.”

Christian Vogel, 14, right, hands off boxes of noodles to teacher Ezekiel Stroupe at a Seneca Valley School District food drive Wednesday led by Ryan Gloyer Middle School eighth-grader Lilia Maschmeier. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

She said RGMS students were more excited about giving than they were about the prizes available in the food drive.

“When you give kids the opportunity to give, you see smiles on their faces,” Butschle said. “It just takes one student to start something.”

Lilia said she is not sure yet what career she will pursue after graduating in four years, but it will include helping the less fortunate.

“I wanted to help other people in the community who need food,” she said as the truck hauling the donated food pulled away from the RGMS entrance. “We are here to help others.”