The 500-member student body of seventh and eighth graders at Madison Junior High School have done a great deed and are drawing praise for it.

They collected food and personal items to send to the troops overseas, and Friday the boxes were loaded onto trucks as the students cheered and were thanked by Principal Tom Wolf and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9943 Commander John Pifer.  

He says the post challenged the students to collect 1000 items, but they more than tripled the goal by getting 3200 items. 

The V-F-W and its Ladies' Auxiliary presented the students with framed certificates, and Mansfield Service-Safety Director Lori Cope gave them a letter of commendation from Mayor Tim Theaker.