POST FALLS - Kindergartners are wearing a hand stamp with pride this week.

It says, "Kindness begins with me."

Students at the Frederick Post Kindercenter, along with all the other Post Falls elementary and middle schools, have been living that message this month by participating in spirited food drives for the Post Falls Food Bank.

Kindercenter students are given the hand stamp each time they bring food to school.

"It makes me feel good that we're giving food to other people who need it," said student Olivia Kraack, who got to wear pajamas to school on Thursday for she and her classmates' efforts. "On Mother's Day, I asked my family to bring food donations to the dinner."

Kindercenter students raised food to stock their "General Store" in the school's hallway by asking for help at home, in their neighborhoods and at Trading Co. Store.

"We asked people to put food in a cart and they did," said student James Rodriguez, who earned a special recess with Principal Julie Billetz for his efforts.

At Seltice Elementary, all the students welcomed spirit competition judges to the school by clapping to music outside the front door and some wore canned soup costumes. Inside, they showed off a Western-themed display that included a canoe full of donated food, a video of the assembly that kicked off the food drive and posters in the lunchroom.

"It's fun to get everybody hyped up for a good cause," said fifth-grader Melody Kempton, who was donning a soup costume. "It's a good feeling to give back to the community by helping those who don't have food."

Students at some schools were allowed to participate in theme or dress-up days if they brought in goods.

Since it started five years ago, the school food drive challenge has raised 67,000 pounds of food coming into this year's event. Schools raised about 20,000 pounds total last year.

"I think we're going to be close to that this year," said Mark Jones, who helps organize the drive.

The schools that are voted as having the most spirit and raise the most will be announced on Saturday during the Jordan Johnson Memorial Fun Run and world record ice cream licking attempt at the Greyhound Park.

"It's amazing all the things the kids came up with to be involved in their community," said Ryan Davis, Boys and Girls Club executive director who served as a spirit contest judge.

Jones said the need for food can be large during the summer months and the drive helps keep the food bank shelves stocked.

"A lot of kids are at home during the summer and it can be a drain on the food bank's resources," Jones said. "Initiatives like this help."

Billetz said students realize from their classmates that there's a need.

"The best part about it is that our kids understand why they're doing it," she said. "It's kids helping kids."