Student Council’s Christmas Giving Project produces positive result

Student Council’s Christmas Giving Project produces positive result

Christmas time is the best time of the year for giving. People are donating to so many different kinds of charities like the Salvation Army and Toys for Tots; even Hammonton High School does a project of its own. The Student Council of Hammonton High took on another Christmas Giving Project to end 2014, and from what participants have said, it proved to be a huge success.

The Christmas Giving Project has been a part of Student Council here at Hammonton for many years. The members are assigned a first grade student at the Camden LEAP Academy, and they’re given their Christmas Wish List. The Student Council members then go out and purchase as much as they can that’s on their list, keeping within a set budget, and then wrap the presents, bring them to the LEAP Academy, and have the opportunity to meet and play with the kids that they were assigned.

Participants at Hammonton High School have showed extremely positive responses to the Christmas Giving Project that took place on December 22nd, 2014, and they are extremely grateful that they had the chance to be part of such a project.

Ms. Davidson, the advisor of Student Council, also said that the project was a pleasure to be a part of.

“I had always heard about the project and that it was successful, and it was just a great experience to be able to have.”

Matt Holmes, a senior and the secretary of Student Council, was assigned a first grade boy at the Camden LEAP Academy.

“He really wanted Legos, so I bought him a whole bunch of stuff that went along with that,” he said.

Thalia Nieves and Gary Marva are also seniors at Hammonton, and they both had first grade boys.

“The two main things on his list were Hot Wheels and Kinects,” Nieves said.

Marva found similar items on his list. “My kid really wanted a remote control car and Hot Wheels.”

When asked about the children’s reactions when they opened their presents, each student couldn’t help but smile.

“My guy was so excited and enthusiastic,” Holmes described. “He was also really relieved that he was able to get all the presents that he wanted, because he wasn’t sure if he would be able to get anything on Christmas morning because of financial issues in his family.”

“To give a direct quote, my kid ripped back the wrapping paper and said ‘Woah!’” said Nieves, laughing. “It was probably one of the most heart-warming experiences I’ve ever had.”

Marva’s first grader had one of the most memorable responses.

“He covered up his eyes and didn’t know what to say,” he said, showing me exactly what his kid did when he opened his gifts.

The students were quick to respond when asked if they would participate in something similar again.

“I would do it again in a heartbeat,” said Holmes.

“I would definitely do something like that again,” said Marva. “My favorite part about it was being able to see the happiness on my kid’s face and knowing that I made his Christmas better.”

The students at Hammonton High were able to really spread Christmas cheer and show what giving really means during the holidays. It’s guaranteed that the children at the Camden LEAP Academy will remember this Christmas for the rest of their lives.