Spanish Fort Elementary School celebrates Can Do Good victory

On Friday, April 7, 2017, GMC presented the students at Spanish Fort Elementary School (SFES) with a check for $1,000 as the winners of the 2016-17 Can Do Good Competition for the kindergarten through fifth grade division. In addition, GMC Regional Vice President Lee Walters presented a check to the Prodisee Pantry to match the school’s donation.

The third through fifth grade gifted students and student council at SFES teamed up to tackle their Can Do Good project and raised more than 3,280 canned goods and non-perishable items—the most collected by any team in the regional competition, including schools from Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. All of the items were donated to the Prodisee Pantry to benefit families in the local community, including students who may attend SFES.

When choosing a design for their Can Do Good structure, the gifted students found inspiration from one of the South’s most storied traditions: the Iron Bowl. The “Can Do Good Bowl” featured a football stadium filled with Alabama and Auburn fans, represented by orange and red cans, and a football field of green cans, complete with a Can Do Good symbol on the 50-yard line.

Spanish Fort Elementary was among the top three schools that received the most votes during the online voting portion of the Can Do Good Competition, advancing them to the finals. With 571 votes, they also received the greatest number of any team in the competition.

The finalists’ structures were reviewed by members of GMC’s professional architecture and engineering staff and judged based on overall theme, aesthetics, structural soundness, level of difficulty and creativity. Because of superior excellence demonstrated in all five categories, SFES was selected as the winner for the kindergarten through fifth grade division.

More than 12,000 canned goods and non-perishable food items were donated to food banks and charitable organizations throughout the Southeast through the regional Can Do Good competition this year. For more information about Can Do Good, visit www.gmcnetwork.com/designbuildeat.