[December 11, 2009]
Community outreach and goodwill are the lessons of the day as Worley Middle School students celebrate their annual holiday service project.
For 20 years, Rogene Worley Middle School has held an adopt-a-child holiday service project for students at Alice Ponder Elementary School.
During the holiday season, the Worley Middle School virtue of the month is caring. One of the ways the students and staff display this virtue is through the annual service project. Students at Alice Ponder Elementary are identified and “adopted” to receive gifts paid for by the Worley student council.
“We pair up our advisory kids so we have approximately 25 students assigned to one Ponder student,” explains Worley Middle School principal Christie Alfred.
“Many of our students bring gifts in as well. We even have [Ponder] students come back years later and tell us it was the best holiday ever for them and some of them were the Ponder student and can related to the great feeling that had!”
And the benefits are felt at Ponder Elementary as well.
“Each year we are overwhelmed by the generosity of the Worley students and staff,” says Ponder principal, Jennifer Stoecker.
“They kindly provide snacks, toys, and clothes to many of our less fortunate Ponder students. As an onlooker, it’s wonderful to witness the joy experienced by all, through both giving and receiving. The Worley students and staff members truly exemplify the spirit of the season.”
Through the organizational efforts of Jamie Gilmartin as well as former teacher, Linda Knight along with the funding of the Worley Student Council, names of students from Alice Ponder Elementary are gathered and assigned to a pair of advisory classes. Approximately 25 children are adopted from Ponder Elementary. Worley Student Council provides $100.00 to purchase gifts for each adopted child.
A party was held on Friday morning, December 11 at Worley Middle School.
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