Wednesday, July 3, 2013

The "Good-doers" Part II

The next group to have our students as recipients of Christmas giving was the high school that was connected to our building (in name only).  They moved to the suburbs, and the elementary school took over the old high school building.

The high school had a Giving Tree.  Each of our student's first name, age, and sex was listed.  Then the H.S. students could choose the student for whom they would buy.  There was a service group that would coordinate everything with the help of advisors and the labor of the school secretary.  Thank you, Chris!  The service group would bake cookies to be brought to the school as a treat for the students on the day the gifts were delivered.

The challenge with this activity was keeping the kids in their skins when they knew the high schoolers were coming.  Talk about wild energy and electricity running through the building.  All in all this was a good experience.  Had one teacher meltdown when she refused to let the kids have their gifts because she wanted them to "settle down".  Not possible, believe me, when this giving gets rolling.

Occasionally, a child would throw a tantrum because they didn't get what someone else had.  One girl, and she was a girl with a girl's name, consistently received a boy gift every year for four years!  How does that happen?  The H.S. students did a splendid job, and as the practice occurred each year, it got better.  We tried to get the H.S. kids more involved with our student body, but distance between the two schools prevented any regular visits.  I suspect, too, that the powers that be at the H.S. were leary of the "neighborhood" in which we educated children.  (Didn't stop the alums from coming back to see their old stomping grounds and reminisce. )  Oh well.  This "good doing" created some very positive memories for our kids.  Good 'nuff!

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