Since 2007, Stuff the Bus has been a community-based tradition in the Washougal and Camas school districts. Niel Jackson first established it from the Camas-Washougal Business Alliance. Every year, the organization and Camas High School (CHS) Associated Student Body (ASB) members strive to improve the system, making it more accessible and fair to all students willing to participate.
Stuff the Bus maintains a competition in CHS for the first-period class that can collect the most non-perishable food items and self-care products between Nov. 13 and Dec. 1.
ASB Advisor Val Parbon, who leads this year’s Stuff the Bus, said, “We want to make it fair because that was one thing that I think has historically been a problem. Our solution to that this year is that we’re going to average your class.”
In the past, the competition’s results were based on the number of items from each class. Now, ASB will calculate the outcome of donations and divide it between the number of students to get an average. This creates equal opportunities to succeed no matter the class size.
Another feature is being implemented as a new way to receive donation money. This year, Camas and Washougal districts are working to create t-shirts for the community to purchase. The money earned from the shirts will go to local organizations like the Children’s Home Society and, recently added, Family Resource Center for support. Junior students in ASB are in charge of designing and managing these new shirts.
“Juniors have a lot of stress over the fact that they’re planning something that [will be advertised] in more than one district because they’ll do campaigns in front of QFC, Walmart and Safeway, not just in Camas,” sophomore Emily Parker said.
Since the program gains much support from the Camas and Washougal communities each year, Stuff the Bus is partnering with surrounding businesses to promote their collections.
“It focuses on a broader scale than just the school. It’s community-based, and I think it brings us together. It’s a great opportunity for [community] service and families,” ASB Senior Class President Avery Gardner said.
The leadership of Stuff the Bus has recently shifted into CHS’s hands. While it runs the program alongside Washougal, Camas is taking on the responsibility of overseeing the decisions.
“[Stuff the Bus] has always been on ASB leadership’s shoulders. Camas High is sort of the captain of that ship, but the whole district participates,” Parbon said.
Over the sixteen years in motion, Camas and Washougal have made many improvements and modifications to Stuff the Bus to support and strengthen the community.