Fourteen years is a pretty good track record for carrying on a school tradition. Students on the Phoenix team at Park View Middle School have had the opportunity to duct tape team math teacher Joanne Spaziano to a wall as a reward for exceeding canned goods donations during the school’s annual food drive.

This year’s drive collected more than 1,100 cans from four homerooms.

“At 14 years multiplied by at least 1,000 cans a year, equals 14,000 cans donated, which is kind of wild when you think of it,” said Spaziano.

Spaziano congratulated physical education teacher John Macera for organizing the program.

“He is the one who deserves all the credit for putting it all together for our community; he is the one who organizes this and makes it all possible. He is one of the big hearts of our community. He is a leader,” she said. “He is kind and compassionate and he cares about our school and all of the students we serve. He really is a role model for all of us.”

This was the first year where Spaziano actually stayed up on the wall for an extended period of time.

“I just try to liven things up and give the kids a challenge. Who wouldn’t want to tape their teacher to the wall given the opportunity?” she asked.

(Herald photo by Pam Tcath)