Mayor Harry LaRosiliere made a guest appearance at John Paul II High School on Sept. 30 to celebrate the school's efforts toward the North Texas Food Bank's Food 4 Kids program.

Students answered a call from LaRosiliere, who challenged the high school to collect 1,000 jars of peanut butter within one week to donate to the program that helps feed Plano ISD elementary students throughout weekends during the school year.

More than 1,000 jars covered the letters 'JPIIHS' at the center of the school's gymnasium as the mayor addressed the students at a special pep rally.

The high school provided 10 percent of LaRosiliere's mission to gather 10,000 jars of peanut butter for the Food 4 Kids program, which provides a backpack full of nutritional food items to 1,800 Plano ISD elementary school students each Friday. The backpack is designed to last between the student's lunch on Friday and before they return to a school-funded breakfast on Monday morning.

LaRosiliere said about 28 percent of children in PISD elementary schools are on food assistance programs. The city of Plano continues to work with the North Texas Food Bank to raise $1 million to supply backpacks for PISD students throughout the next three years.