When there is a crisis, such as the deadly tornadoes that pounded south central Iowa on March 5, reaching out to help is a natural reaction for residents of our state. In the aftermath of the storm, volunteers rolled into the Winterset and Norwalk areas to help clean up and to provide supplies to people who lost their homes.

Those residents also got a long distance assist in the form of meals and treats from Manson Northwest Webster High School.

Led by Jessica Lavicky, a family and consumer science teacher, 18 students prepared about 120 meals in the school over the course of about a day and a half. They created tuna noodle casseroles, tater tot casseroles, chicken and broccoli casseroles, croissant breakfast sandwiches, meatballs, banana bread, cookies, brownies, and Rice Krispie treats.

All of the food was transported down to Winterset and Norwalk on March 11 by Lavicky and seven students.

Lavicky and her students successfully combined two things: their desire to help and their culinary skills.

The students may well have filled a gap in the flow of relief supplies for those whose homes were destroyed or damaged. Clothing, bottled water and other essentials are regularly rushed to victims of natural disasters, but home-cooked meals perhaps aren’t donated as often. We’re sure the folks who got to dig into one of those casseroles are grateful.

The students who did all that cooking and baking provided an outstanding example of how to help others in times of crisis.