COAL GROVE — Any other day of the year, a can of beans or peas or corn would be exactly that.

But Saturday, can upon can of edible goods became the Pyramid of Giza and the South American landmark Christ of the Andes.

The first ever Bean Cook-off Saturday at Dawson-Bryant Middle School, sponsored by the Family Guidance Center, brought bean afficiandos for a hot, home-cooked meal. It also produced tangible displays of talent from area high school students.

Teams from area high schools were asked to create a work of art from canned food, using the theme “Wonders of the world.”

Rock Hill High School’s tech class built the Giza pyramid; the 10th and 11th grade tech class at Dawson-Bryant High School fashioned their cans into a replica of

the Kukulkan pyramid in Mexico. The Dawson-Bryant High School Key Club created the replica of the statue of Jesus Christ.

Chesapeake High School students fashioned their food into the Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt.

“The idea was to teach them (students) teamwork and to collect canned food for area food pantries,” Family Guidance Center Prevention and Development Director Mollie Stevens said.

Although Rock Hill, Chesapeake and Dawson-Bryant were the only schools to take part in the artwork contest, other schools joined them in having a food drive. Area schools collected a combined total of 12,158 food items that will be sent to area food pantries.

As for the cook-off, 11 cooks brought their legume recipes for taste-testing. The proceeds from the cook-off will be used to fund the guidance center’s alcohol, tobacco and drug prevention programs for youth.