ORANGE, Ohio (WJW) – The Halloween season means just a little bit more inside one classroom at Orange City Schools.

On this day, Samantha Schaedler’s 8th graders learn about the history of the holiday. 

They discuss their favorite Halloween candy. Then, they take action by donating some of what they won’t eat from their own candy collections.

Samantha says this all started 10 years ago, when her family started experiencing those piles of candy leftovers.

“I personally have three boys and would notice how much candy would go uneaten or I would see all of this leftover candy by Christmas,” she said.

In the decade since, Samantha’s idea has turned into a school tradition. Each year, she estimated they collect around 100 pounds of candy that will be donated to soldiers who are serving overseas.

“It’s putting someone else before yourself. That’s an important lesson to teach teenagers and all kids.”

While it might just be leftovers, it’s doing something instead of nothing. That’s an idea Samantha says has helped this country stand out in any history textbook.

“I think that’s where it comes from. We have to support the people that protect us. We have to support the people that honor our constitution,” she said.

This collection is eventually shipped to a military base in Austin, Texas. From there, it is sorted and then sent to bases across the globe.