Around Christmas time, the topics of receiving presents and going to parties usually dominate conversation amongst young people. However, giving gifts and giving back to the community often get overlooked.
In recent years, many programs have been developed to bring a focus on giving back to the holiday season. One notable example is Toys for Tots, an organization founded in 1947 that has distributed almost 500 million toys in its 67 years of existence. Old Rochester Regional’s Community Service Learning Group runs Toys for Tots at the school, and group advisor Heidi Graser recently discussed this year’s drive.
Ms. Graser is a science teacher at ORR whose main focus is biology. She recently took on the advisor position after anatomy teacher Mary Cabral retired.
The Toys for Tots drive started off a bit slow this year, but Graser was not worried.
“It picked up in the last week,” said Graser. “It seems that people started their Christmas shopping a bit later this year, and that’s consistent through all of our Toys for Tots drives.”
Graser came to head the Community Service Group after Mrs. Cabral retired this year. She also has a history with the charitable organization.
“My family’s been doing it for about eight years,” said Graser. “This is the first year it’s been major for me, since I’m running the group, though I’ve been working on it in the school for three to four years.”
Toys for Tots is very important to Graser, and she reinforced the meaning it has to its participants and its benefactors.
“For our students, it provides the experience of giving back and being grateful for what you have. And for those receiving gifts in the community, they get the feeling that people care for them,” Graser explained. “Also, it’s great for the kids to get the presents.”
Thanks to Graser’s help and the donations of ORR students, the Toys for Tots drive will make a big impact in our area this Christmas season.
Over the first three months of the 2014-2015 school year, news spread quickly about the extended Christmas vacation included in this year’s schedule. The vacation, which begins on Friday, December 19 and ends when students return to school on Monday, January 5, features 16 full days of rest and relaxation for students and teachers.
The last time Christmas fell on a Thursday was 2008, but district schools had classes on Monday the 22nd and Tuesday the 23rd, so having these days off makes this year very unique.
A couple of students shared their opinions on the extra long break. Junior Jacob Castelo was brimming with excitement about it.
“Everyone needs time to recharge, relax, and of course, sleep,” said Castelo. “I’m more excited about this vacation than any other previous vacation, due to the amount of time off.”
Senior Shannon O’Malley has a couple things on her to-do list over the long break.
“I’m looking forward to getting some skiing in. Also, I’m glad I have some time to finish up my college applications that are due in January,” said O’Malley. “Besides that, doing nothing for once will be fun.”
Graser also gave her opinion.
“It’s the best thing that could possibly ever happen,” said Graser. “Up until Christmas, I’ll be focused on Toys for Tots, and then I’ll be catching up on sleep and grading papers.”
Without a doubt, the extended vacation gives students and teachers something to be thankful for over the break.
By Patrick Briand
