By Mary O’KEEFE

Seventh and eighth graders at Rosemont Middle School collected a total of 1,252 cans over the past week that were donated to the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station Annual Food and Toy Drive on Tuesday.

“We are so proud of our students,” said Assistant Principal Ann Amrhein.

The school collects cans for the sheriff’s food drive every year. To make the food drive more interesting it became part of a spirit competition between the seventh and eighth graders.

“The class received five spirit points for every 100 cans,” Amrhein said.

Seventh grade won by bringing in 663 cans, eighth grade with 589 cans.

“It was fun having this kind of competition,” said Principal Michele Doll.

Amrhein praised the students for their generosity.

“It is great to see them being so generous especially in these times,” she said.

In addition to the can drive students also exercised their college spirit during Rivalry Week. Doll is the spirit behind this friendly competition, which started as a rivalry between USC and UCLA.

“We are encouraging students to pick any college of their choice and show their spirit,” Doll said dressed in her USC sweatshirt.

The school’s staff had a little surprise for their principal Tuesday morning when she arrived at school.

“They were all dressed in UCLA Bruin colors,” she said.