COLFAX - For more a quarter century, Ridgeview High School students have collected food and gifts for Colfax area families in need at Christmas.

The effort continued even in 2005, when event coordinator and art teacher Pam Rathke was staying with her daughter in Memphis, Tenn., for cancer treatment.

Today, Morgan Rathke is 14 and has survived a brain tumor to become a healthy high school freshman. Morgan works with her mom; sister, Lauren, a senior; and about 25 other students involved with the Adopt a Family and food drive projects.

This year, the effort at the small, rural school topped all high schools for a canned food drive effort coordinated by McLean County Community Compact.

"We proud of that," said Ridgeview senior Lauren Harrison.

Ridgeview students usually collect almost 10 times as much food as students from larger high schools, said Sue Bandy, director of the McLean Compact Community Compact.

This year, they brought in more than 4,500 food items, and won Compact's food drive challenge for the fourth year in a row. In 2005, when the effort was led by Mary Cay Hahn, the students used the prize money to buy fresh vegetables and meat for the families.

"It was very crazy that year. It brought us closer together," said senior Haleigh Copley, who has helped in the effort for the last three years with twin sister Kirstin.

Rathke, who has taught at the school for 27 years, started the Christmas effort as a young teacher as a result of the example her own family set. "From the time I was a little girl, my family always adopted a family at Christmas," she said.

She wanted to instill the spirit of giving in students she worked with. Her daughter, senior Lauren Rathke, is following her example.

"I've been doing this since kindergarten. I used to help the big kids," said Lauren, now president of the student council.

This year's effort will bring gifts to 38 "adopted" families and nursing home residents. As many as 50 families have been served in previous years in a program that started with just 14 families.

The initial effort was a food drive, but that expanded to include gifts after Rathke learned food stamps can't buy items such as shampoo, soap and toothpaste. Now, most recipients get about five gifts.

'We were angels'

The Rathkes learned the importance of community support during Morgan's treatment and recovery from medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children.

"It's amazing how much people care," Rathke said.

Morgan seems to have her mother's drive. She has relearned skills and returned to her athletic endeavors, including running track.

"She's definitely not the fastest, but she's the most determined," said Rathke, adding Morgan also is involved in competitive gymnastics.

Rathke's "other family" - her students - have learned the importance of giving during a project in which they collect, wrap, label and deliver gifts to those who need help. They do the work before school, during lunch breaks and after school.

"I'm happy to give kudos anytime for their hard work," Rathke said.

Part of the reward for the teens is seeing the joy they bring to families when they deliver the presents. Sometimes the cars are so full of gifts, there's hardly room for students.

"One man gave us a hug and told us we were angels" said senior Kirstin Copley.

Counting on the kids

2,000: Approximate number of gifts wrapped by Ridgeview High School students as part of their Christmas Adopt a Family program.

140: Number of adults and children who will get gifts collected and organized by the high school students this year.

38: Number of families receiving help through Ridgeview High School Adopt a Family program.

27: Number of student volunteers this year.