The Examiner U-46 News FeedU-46 schools embrace a holiday giving spirit By Seth Hancock
Christmas is a time for giving, and students and staff at area schools have gotten into the season.
In a press release from School District U-46, 22 schools as well as the educational services center have been collecting food and warm clothing to spare change and money to give to those in need.
Fox Meadow Elementary School in South Elgin recently held a holiday sing event after its Change for Hunger campaign to collect money for the Food for Greater Elgin food pantry.
Principal Sjoukje Brown said students were able to “come together and sing Christmas carols and holiday songs with teachers. Sometimes there is even a teacher performance number, which the kids love to see.”
Brown added: “We just completed a very successful Change for Hunger campaign, and our students worked very hard to help those who need assistance in the community. This event allows us to take time as a building, stop our hectic pace and take a little bit of time to enjoy being together and celebrating the harmony of this season.”
Horizon Elementary School in Hanover Park held a food drive in partnership with Hanover Park’s Living Lord Lutheran Church. Principal Jennifer Schwardt said the church packs 15 backpacks full of food each week to give directly to families in need at Horizon.
“These bags are generously filled each week so students can go home on Friday with food for the week,” Schwardt said. “They have been supporting Horizon families for the past two years with this food program.”
Schwardt said the student council at her school ran its own food drive, collecting 36 boxes of food, that were donated to the church’s food bank which in turn was used in the food backpacks.
“As a principal, I am very proud that our students are so willing to support our community and families in need,” Schwardt said. “This was a great service project for our student council to run, and our Horizon students really stepped up to contribute. The Living Lord Lutheran Church has been so generous with this program, and it is wonderful that we can help re-stock their food pantry so they can continue their efforts to support our families.”
Liberty Elementary School in Bartlett had a mitten tree collection as gloves and mittens were donated to the Elgin Community Crisis Center which Principal Juanita Jimenez said “provides safety, hope, advocacy and education for those impacted by crisis or violence in our community.”
Students who donated to the effort would receive a paper mitten to write their name on and hang on the school’s Christmas tree in the lobby. Jimenez said over 80 pairs of gloves/mittens were donated as of early last week.
“At Liberty, we follow the 4C’s which are Care for self, Care for others, Care for our school and Care for our community,” Jimenez said. “Through holiday collections like this mitten tree, we are able to show care for others and our community by helping a needy child have warm hands this winter.”
Prairieview Elementary School in Bartlett held several charitable campaigns including a coat drive by its student council to give to students in need at Elgin’s Garfield Elementary School while Prairieview’s staff had a giving tree and along with the Bartlett Lion’s Club donated holiday dinner baskets to give to families in need at Prairieview. Students also collected toys to donate to Hanover Township and shoes to go to a Girl Scout troop which will donate them to people in need in Mexico.
Staff at the educational services center held its fifth annual giving tree which the district press release estimated about 200 gifts will be given to U-46 students through the effort.
Others schools in The Examiner area that took part in drives include South Elgin’s Clinton and Willard, Streamwood’s Glenbrook, Bartlett’s Sycamore Trails and Carol Stream’s Spring Trail elementary schools as well as Streamwood High School..
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