Hoosiers students give back: Part 2 of 2

Last week, I highlighted some of the ways students in Posey and Vanderburgh Counties were giving back this holiday season at the high school and middle school levels. This week, I would like to recognize the students in our younger grades that have been working very hard to make sure everyone has a brighter holiday.

West Terrace Elementary school in Evansville has been continuing their Angel Fund program, which they do every year. This program includes families adopting other families who need a little extra help this season. Students and parents either make monetary donations or buy for children under the age of 18. The school then helps out wherever they are needed and strive to make sure every child has a gift on Christmas.  Meanwhile, Marrs Elementary saw a need around Thanksgiving and worked to collect canned food items for the Posey County food bank. Afterwards, they began to look around to find what the other needs were in the community. The Student Council has been volunteering with other groups in the community at the soup kitchens at the local United Methodist church.

It’s always great to see kids give back, but I think what is even more special is kids coming up with their own ideas and seeing those ideas through to the end. Saint Matthew Elementary School in Mount Vernon let the students decide every year what they are going to do around the holiday season to help out their community. This year, students held a toy drive and brought in new toys, books or stuffed animals to benefit the Posey County gift assistance program. The toy drive has been a competition with two grades working together as a team with awards given to those who collect the most items.  Students at St. Philip have been Christmas caroling at local nursing homes, and everyone at the school in Kindergarten through eighth grade wrote Christmas cards to send servicemen and women for the Holiday for Hero’s campaign.

At Farmersville Elementary School the Student Council has been encouraging students to bring in canned food items, boxed goods and have come up with another unique idea. Students are being encouraged to bring in socks for the school’s “Socks for Seniors” program. All the new socks that are brought in will go the area nursing homes residents for Christmas.

Students in Posey and Vanderburgh Counties realize what Christmas is all about and have set a great example for us to follow. There is something special knowing in a small way you were able to help make someone’s Christmas special.  If you would like to help out any of these schools in their efforts, please call the schools main office. From my family to yours, have a joyous holiday season and a very Merry Christmas!