Haverhill and Amesbury, MA (March 5, 2026) — National Cereal Day is this Saturday, but Northern Essex Community College’s Business 101 students, taught by Trish Tupaj, got a head start on the celebrations. The Amesbury High School students, who are earning college credit through NECC’s Early College Program, collected 3,364 boxes of cereal, lined them up, and then knocked them down domino-style. The effort, known as The Cereal Challenge, gives the students experience in many aspects of business. 

Students were tasked with making flyers, approaching local businesses, and leveraging their own networks to get donations. Donation boxes were also located throughout both the NECC and Amesbury High School campuses. Students will follow up by sending personalized thank-you notes and pictures to supporters.

Students initially set a goal of 2600 boxes, which they met rather quickly. Tupaj noted their total of 3,364 boxes is especially impressive given the challenges of working around snow days and school vacation.

Tupaj first got the idea for a “cereal challenge” in 2023 as a high school teacher in Connecticut. That effort collected nearly 1600 boxes. When she began teaching Early College classes at NECC the following year, she was eager to continue the collaborative community service project. Last year was the first Cereal Challenge at NECC. Her Whittier Tech Early College students knocked over more than 3,600 boxes in an event that garnered attention from several Boston television stations. She said she was proud to see how the students and the community rallied behind the idea.

All of the cereal boxes are now on the way to local food banks.

Early College at NECC

NECC’s Early College Program is a dual enrollment program that allows students to take college courses and earn college credits while still in high school, and gain exposure to a variety of career and pathway opportunities. Research has consistently demonstrated significant benefits for dually enrolled students, including improved academic achievement in high school, increased likelihood of enrolling in college, and better credit accumulation and college completion rates.

Learn more about Early College at NECC by visiting the webpage.