November 22nd, 2010 |

Canstruction, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that holds annual design and build competitions to "can-struct" fantastic, giant sized, structures made entirely out of canned food. In each city, after the structures are built and the winners declared, the creations go on view to the general public as giant art exhibits. At the close of the competitions, all of the food used in the structures is donated to the local food banks for distribution to community emergency feeding programs.

The Salvation Army, located on 110 Presto Lane, decided to host Canstruction for the very first time in Jackson, MS at the 2010 MS State Fair, October 6-18, 2010. Upon learning of Canstruction, Inc., Kendrick Walker, Tougaloo College Bonner Leaders Program Coordinator and AmeriCorps VISTA, decided that it was a unique project that Bonner Leaders and Tougaloo College students would enjoy participating in even though they could not compete. The Bonner Leaders Program is a student-led, volunteer driven community service program. Bonner Leaders commit to an average 10 hours of community service per week each year. The program encourages projects and activities that cultivate a culture of "intense" community service that actually tackles issues that affect the community. Volunteering, after all, is a fun endeavor.

The goal of the Bonner Leaders Program this year is to fuse "intense" community service with arts and culture. Student volunteers have found creative ways to accomplish this goal by volunteering on project from developing community gardens to making art projects with youth to participating with the Canstruction project. Bonner Leaders and Pre-Alumni Council Team Captains, Janae Roberts and Jasmine Washington, led a successful collaboration with MS State University Senior Architect major Sara Silvestri to design and "can-struct" historic Woodworth Chapel’s well-known steeple! The Woodworth Chapel Steeple Canstruction honors the college’s rich heritage and legacy of preparing students to be imaginative, self-directed, lifelong learners and mindful thinkers, committed to leadership and service in a global society.

Tougaloo College students put in an excess of 200 hours collectively in completing this project. The finished Canstruction Chapel steeple along with local high schools’ efforts were put on display for the entire span of the 2010 MS State Fair. The Bonner Leaders Program would like to thank the following entities: Mississippi Food Network, Tougaloo College Facilities Management, Tougaloo College Office of Institutional Advancement and the Pre-Alumni Council.

The Salvation Army presented Tougaloo College with the 2010 Spirit of Mississippi Award. Because of Tougaloo College’s enthusiastic participation in the Canstruction, Inc. project, competition will be open next year to colleges as well as high schools. Jim Hill High School won Overall Best of Show Award, $2,500.00 and advancement to national competition. There are six categories in which students can compete and so the beauty of Canstruction, Inc. 2010 is that each of the six participating high schools won a category and advanced to national competition. In Mississippi everyone "CAN Be a Winner!"