As the holiday season quickly approaches, two schools in the Mountain Empire Unified School District are participating in spirit of charity to give back to their community. Now a tradition for the schools each year, the students in the Pine Valley Middle School and Camp Lockett Middle School ASB work with the Salvation Army and other local groups to adopt a family for the holiday season. This year, Pine Valley will adopt two families and Camp Lockett with adopt one family to help make this season brighter than it otherwise would be.
The three families selected to receive some amazing holiday surprises are kept anonymous, and all work is done through the school. As the families share with a representative what their needs are for the time, that list is shared with all of our students and families so to ensure that all of their needs are met. The ASB teams of each school create signs and a flier that go home to the families with the needs listed for each of the adopted families so that donations can be prepared.
During this time, excitement is created on campus as students learn and understand firsthand the importance in sharing and giving. Although it is not required, all of this is done through volunteer work and donations that all students and families are welcome to participate in. As gifts arrive at the schools, the ASB students wrap and label each gift. Once all donations are received, all students participate as much as possible to deliver each item to the organizations representing the families in need.
2018 will be the fifth year that Pine Valley has adopted families and will be the second year for Camp Lockett. Each year the staff and students at the schools strive to overwhelm the families with generosity and take their mind off the stresses that can come with the holiday season. Principal of Camp Lockett and Pine Valley, Gary Brannon, said, “We know that many times these families have hit a rough patch and are in need of some help and we try to help where we can… Our students get a lesson in empathy and philanthropy along with that magical feeling we get when we can make someone’s day a little brighter.”
Mountain Empire Unified School District is located in rural eastern San Diego County, with excellent elementary and middle schools and Mountain Empire High School, all within beautiful scenic countryside backdrops.
Visit the district at www.meusd.org.
Media Contact
Company Name: Mountain Empire Unified School District
Contact Person: Kathy Granger
Email: Send Email
Phone: 619-473-9022
Address:3291 BUCKMAN SPRINGS RD
City: Pine Valley
State: CA
Country: United States
Website: http://www.meusd.k12.ca.us/