CANstructive learning

By Tyler Nemkov Wed., Dec. 10 2008 at 10:51 AM

Categories: Food for Thought

The Salvation Army has teamed up with area schools to put a creative twist on the classic canned-food drive with CANstruction. I vividly remember canned- food drives in elementary and middle school; how I'd make a parent take me to Costco to get that last case of Top Ramen for a food drive just so our class could win maybe six pizzas from Domino's with a couple of two-liter bottles of Coke.

But Colorado Mills has really upped the ante on food drives with this year's CANstruction, a competition in which area schools have constructed sculptures from canned food in 10 foot by 10 foot by 8 foot enclosures. There's a 4,000-can display called the Ti-CAN-ic, as well as a giant can made from cans, with a can-made can opener.

Since the idea of a bunch of grade schoolers building large structures out of metal cans was a little frightening, the Salvation Army made sure there were professional design firms helping out with structural integrity (they just think of everything!). The students showed up at the mall on December 5 to stack their cans; schools participating included Northridge Elementary (the big can), Denver Arts and Technology Academy (a holiday giving tree), Cresthill Middle School (the Titanic) and Mt. Carbon Elementary (a hot rod).

The can-constructions will be on display at Colorado Mills through Saturday, December 13. You can vote for the the "People's Choice Award" by putting a canned good of your own in the donation bin next to your favorite creation. We're offering an advance look at a few more creations below. --Tyler Nemkov