Students across District 64 -- with generous support from their families and community members -- are working hard to make the holiday season happier for neighbors near and far, especially those experiencing tremendous need.
Here are some of the ways students are investing their hearts and hands in good works:
- Washington - Student Council is wrapping up its first service project of the year! Every class took part in making fleece blankets to brighten the lives of patients at Advocate Lutheran General Children’s Hospital. Over $600 was collected from Washington families to purchase fleece to make more than 30 blankets. The comforting blankets will be delivered to the hospital before winter recess. In addition, as part of our Washington Cares project, families adopted children anonymously from among our own families in need to provide holiday gifts.
- Emerson - The 8th grade Huskies team has organized to collect more than 7,000 plastic bags to turn into "plarn" -- plastic bags cut into strips, tied together, and wound up to be used by crocheters at "New Life for Old Bags." The goal is to create sleeping mats for 10 homeless persons in Chicago.
- Jefferson - Our youngest students focused on the Maine Township Food Pantry, gathering two large cartons of non-perishable foods to help those in need.
- Franklin - 2nd grade Brownie students organized the collection of blankets, gloves and hats to donate to Humble Hearts, which distributes the items to homeless people. Due to the overwhelming response, collection is continuing until winter recess!
- Lincoln - Organized by the Student Government Association, students are making it a December to Remember by performing acts of kindness each day as suggested in a Kindness Calendar. Students are learning that thoughtful deeds -- like opening doors for people all day, or offering to help a neighbor walk their dog or prepare for the holidays -- can set off a chain reaction by inspiring others to do the same!
- Roosevelt - Each classroom purchased a gift for a needy child through the UCAN project. A trio of fifth grade students now are coordinating a school-wide drive to collect unwrapped toys to donate to Toys for Tots. The school also recently collected more than six large boxes of canned food for the Maine Township Food Pantry and conducted a sock drive for the homeless.
- Carpenter - The Student Council has decided to add its support to the "Backpacks for the Homeless" project sponsored by the Maine Community Youth Assistance Foundation (MCYAF). Students are collecting used and clean backpacks, warm accessories, and toiletries that will be delivered to the homeless in Maine Township.
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Field - The Student Government is inviting classmates to "Warm You Up With Love for the Holidays" by gathering new or gently used mittens, scarves and other articles of warmth for donation to The Harbour, which provides emergency shelter for homeless youth in the northwest suburbs. Students also are creating cards for children at Lutheran General Hospital to "warm their hearts" during the holiday season.