By Cherri Gregg

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Great Food Fight is an annual competition where high schools go to the mats with the goal of collecting the most food. The goal this year is to collect 100 tons of food – or 200,000 meals by March 8th.

“We had boxes and boxes stacked together and the elementary schools just started shipping it in.”

Fifteen-year-old Shannon Kolb is a 10th grader at Owen J Roberts High School in Chester County. Her school won the grand prize of $10,000 last year.

“We raised, I believe it was 11 tons.”

“We collected five tons of food last year and we’re looking to double that and get 12 tons this year.”

Tom Reed is a teacher at Lower Merion High School. His students will go head to head with 16 other schools. He says they love the competition, but the focus is on helping the more than 900,000 families in need in the Delaware Valley.

“Our students know that there are many deserving families that need this food. That’s the real fire that’s in them.”

Students will be collecting food through March 8th.