NATCHEZ &045;&045; Walk in the front door at McLaurin Elementary School and you might trip over community service.

The school’s most recent project, collecting can goods, is currently being stored in the front hall before being taken to the National Guard Armory.

As part of last week’s Red Ribbon Week, the students brought in as many can goods as they could find to be given to members of the guard and their families. The National Guard is one of the school’s partners in education.

The students, grades second through sixth, brought in 1,723 cans.

&uot;This is the largest number we’ve had,&uot; Counselor Betty Potter said. &uot;I’m very proud.&uot;

Lataisha Bernard, Americorp team leader for the school, said each class adopted a soldier from the 155th.

&uot;We wanted to do something special for the soldiers or their families,&uot; Bernard said.

Lauren Mullins’ fifth-grade class brought in 406 cans, the most in the school. Mullins told her students for every can they brought in she would find someone in the community to match it.

Dominique Clark, a student in Mullins class, said she brought in two cans for the drive.

&uot;It’s fun, you get to help other people,&uot; she said.