“This shows a sensible image of unity. It shows us coming together as a community to help others.”

DEARBORN— Rivalries are a constant in every field— David Letterman vs. Jay Leno; Barcelona vs. Real Madrid; Ernest Hemingway vs. William Faulkner.

In high schools, there is Dearborn vs. Fordson. 

The students of both schools are dedicating their competitiveness to a good cause.

Ahead of their awaited football game on Friday, Fordson and Dearborn students are collecting canned food for the underprivileged.

By Wednesday, Fordson had collected close to 1,000 cans, while Dearborn had amassed 560. But the Pioneers have not conceded their loss, yet. A day earlier they had only collected 150 food items, but they made a rallying cry on every social media outlet available to catch up to the Tractors.

Adnan Hamka, the vice president of the student council at Dearborn High School, said he told his fellow students that losing to Fordson is not an option.

“We told them we are not where we need to be and we need to step it up,” Hamka said. “The football game already has competitiveness, but when you add another aspect to it that makes it more exciting. We want to beat them in another thing.”

Raad Alawan, the publisher of Student Life Magazine, a monthly publication that covers Dearborn Public Schools, suggested the idea of collecting donations before the game. The students responded enthusiastically to the initiative, which is dubbed the “Battle Against Hunger.”

“Dearborn High and Fordson is traditionally a huge rivalry and we wanted to pull something good out of it,” Alawan told The Arab American News. “With the tremendous student involvement we have at both schools, the possibility of doing something good is just great.”

Alawan added that the students give from their heart and rally around good causes. 

Fatmeh Rida, a history teacher and student government adviser at Fordson, said the competition provided an incentive for students to step up their food collection efforts.

“There are a lot of problems in this world, but hunger is something we can solve ourselves,” she told The Arab American News. 

Rida heaped praise on her students’ dedication. She said the high school gathers donations for the hungry every year.

“This is one of the most generous communities,” she said. “Fordson kids have a personality. They are the most hard-working, generous students I have seen. If you show them a good cause, they’ll jump in to try to help.”

All the donations go to Gleaners Food Bank.

Ahmad Abouarabi, a football player, said he plans on bragging about outperforming Dearborn High students on both the food drive and the football field. 

Aliah Sareini, president of the Dearborn High class of 2016, said the football game, which draws large groups of supporters, is a chance to use the excitement for a project that everybody can back.

“I think it’s a great idea,” she said. “It is such a successful event. We are raising a lot.”

Hussein Bazzi, a Dearborn student, said the food drives shows the real side of Dearbornites, which contradicts bigots’ claims about the city.

“A lot of people think that we are all about the negatives,” he said. “I think this shows a sensible image of unity. It shows us coming together as a community to help others.” 

Fordson student Mariam Makki echoed Bazzi’s comments, saying that donations are coming from residents around the school as well as students and parents.

“Everybody is giving more than expected,” Makki said. “Last year we collected 26,000 cans. This shows how much this community is willing to give.”

Dearborn High counselor Janice Fawaz said the students have been motivated to contribute to the initiative.

“Even though there are rivalries, the students are working together,” she said. “We have the east part of the city working together and the west part of the city working together, so everyone on the outside of Dearborn sees that we’re really one.”