THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 3, 1995 TAG: 9512020188
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
At Kingston Elementary some of Santa's helpers are snowpersons.
Many city schools are undertaking projects to help others have a merry Christmas, but at Kingston a new twist has been added. Instead of helping needy families as students and faculty have done in the past, the school's holiday project this year is to help needy children.
``I went to Social Services and asked for names,'' explained guidance counselor Joanne Battaglia, who usually handles the school's holiday project and thought up the change.
The agency responded with the names of needy and foster children. Battaglia put the sex and age of each along with a gift item requested by the child on a white paper cut-out of a ``snowperson'' to go on the school's ``Adopt A Snowperson'' display board.
Teachers selected one or two ``snowpersons'' and collected money from their students to buy the gifts. Room mothers or parent volunteers are doing the shopping.
``The response,'' Battaglia noted, ``has been overwhelming. I had to go back two times for more names. A lot of classes elected to do it instead of a gift exchange among themselves. One parent came back to me and wanted to do more.''
Many of the gift requests were modest, for art supplies, books and tapes. Country and western music, football equipment, jeans, clothes and anything with Pocahontas on it were popular request items. One young girl asked simply for some pretty underwear.
Another request, for a bicycle, was deemed too big for the kids themselves to fill. So a group of teachers got together to tackle that one. The child will get her wish.
``I can't imagine a 10-year-old girl without a bicycle,'' said Battaglia.
Battaglia stressed that the children should make a sacrifice to contribute to the program. She suggested they perform extra chores to earn the money or donate their ice cream money.
Fifth-grade teacher Betty Boggs and Maureen Harris gave their students a letter explaining that they have adopted two ``snow'' girls, both 9, and two ``snow'' boys, age 7. The letter urged students to consider donating ice cream, Slurpee and candy money to purchase the ``snow'' children gifts, ``in the true spirit of the holidays.''
Second-grader David Leydet, who gave his age as ``7 3/4,'' knew exactly what his class was going to do.
``We're going to get jeans for a little boy,'' he said.
``I think it's real good,'' exclaimed third-grader Perrin Slepsky, 8. ``It's just that I like doing things for other people.''
``It's a nice thing to do to help other people,'' added classmate Brian Miller, 9. ``It's sort of like just being nice to everybody.''
Second-grader Sarah Kern and third-grader Andrew Collins, both 8, expressed the same sentiment. They said it made them feel good.
Contributions have to be in by Friday. The gifts will be purchased by Dec. 14.
Thanks to the generosity of the kids, teachers, staff and parents, 58 youngsters ages 6 to 10, plus one 8-month-old infant, will have a merrier Christmas.
But the excitement in their voices and the sparkle in their eyes left no doubt that it is the students at Kingston Elementary who have received as much as they have given. ILLUSTRATION: David Leydet, 7, left; Sarah Kern, 8; Perrin Slepsky, 8; and
Andrew Collins, 8; were among the Kingston Elementary students who
joined with faculty and parents to provide 58 youngsters with
Christmas presents.
Photo by
DAWSON MILLS
by CNB