Fellows of the Mississippi State University Montgomery Leadership Program (MLP) put together an event that combined service and entertainment. MLP fellows Danielle Adams, Kimberly Keel and Caroline Campbell added an extra twist to canned food drives. In an effort to encourage participation and make the experience fun, students built sculptures with the cans they bring. The event was held in the Junction from 4-6 p.m. Thurday. Three to five judges graded sculptures on their creativity, style and design.
McKee Hall won the competition for bringing in the most cans. The contest garnered over 250 cans to donate to families in need.
The MLP is an organization designed to develop students’ service involvement and leadership capability. The program prides itself on molding students into future leaders. MLP lasts for three semesters and each semester, has a set goal the students hope to achieve. 
The first semester concentrates on students cultivating communication skills as well as introducing leadership theory. At this stage, the class meets twice per week to discuss and learn leadership and communication strategies while also completing at least 20 hours of community service. The second semester each students acts a peer mentor and group leader for freshmen Day One Students. The third semester students utilize the skills learned in the previous semesters and lead their own service projects, or as they call them, Capstones.
Caroline Campbell, senior MLP fellow, said every service project is a good one, but this one is particularly special.
“There are always service projects. There are some that people automatically think about, and there are some that people overlook. When deciding what service project to choose, we saw a need, and we acted,” Campbell said. “Canned food drives can sometimes be mundane and a competition, but this one is a great way to make it fun.”
Danielle Adams, junior MLP fellow, said the group wanted all residence halls involved so it could reach as many students as possible.
“Industrial Recyclers of Mississippi provided us with huge boxes that we have placed in all of the residence halls. Some people might not want to actually come to the event, but they can still donate,” Adams said. “To promote our event we made posters that go on the boxes, we have distributed fliers in residence halls, we made a Twitter page, but mostly it has been word of mouth. The RAs and RDs have really been helpful. We just needed to get in contact with the right people.” 
Kimberly Keel, junior MLP fellow, said both the Starkville and MSU communities can get something meaningful from this project.
“In months around the holidays, canned food drives are very popular, but some don’t realize that people need food all year long. The Starkville community will receive the food, but the MSU community will have the opportunity to help others who need it,” Keel said. “After the competition, we plan to hopefully take it to Missisippi Food Network that night.”
Keel said she has always valued community service, and MLP was the perfect program to foster her passion.
“I have always loved doing community service, and I just needed an outlet to do it. MLP has shown me that the Starkville community has so many opportunities that I never realized. Next year I am really going to miss my MLP family. It’s amazing to be around quality people that are leaders themselves,” Keel said.