🌲🎁 Leicester Elementary School (LES) students have embraced the lesson that “to give is better than to receive.”
After Hurricane Helene caused widespread damage, particularly in Swanannoa, LES fourth graders “adopted” the fourth graders at W.D. Williams Elementary in Swanannoa. The kids wrote letters back and forth, and on Dec. 17, LES fourth grade classes traveled to Swanannoa and met their pen pals. The kids played together outside and had a pizza party in the auditorium. At the end of the day, the Leicester students gave gifts to the W.D. students and shared a moment of joy and excitement.
“It’s fun and great to finally meet our pen pals,” said Grace, an LES fourth grader. “We got to find out what they like and get them gifts and get to know them.”
It was a break from tradition for LES teacher Michelle Berry’s class. Each year, she hosts a Secret Santa party, when students give each other gifts. This year, she explained the situation in Swanannoa post-Helene and asked students to give Secret Santa gifts to their pen pals instead of each other.
“I saw more excitement from that idea than any other year I’ve been teaching,” she said. “Every day they wanted to bring more, and they are so happy to feel like Santa Claus to their new friends.”
The pen pal relationship will continue, and W.D. students will travel to Leicester in the spring semester to play and spend more time together.
Thanks to the Fairview Road Pizza Hut for donating pizza for the party and to the volunteers who helped make the day a success.