Cedar Rapids schools share holiday spirit, help others

Earlier this month, The Gazette published a notice asking Eastern Iowa schools to nominate school holiday community services projects. A group of reporters voted on the submissions, selecting three projects for publication in the newspaper. The following are nominated projects from Cedar Rapids public schools.

With winter vacation on the horizon, here's a look at how students and staff in the Cedar Rapids district have shared their holiday cheer this season.

--  The Jefferson High School Student Council held a canned food drive for the Olivet Neighborhood Mission Food Pantry, collecting more than 2,700 items for the food pantry in only six days. Each second hour teacher had a box in their classroom for students to donate canned goods and other non-perishable food items.

--  The staff at Arthur Elementary School adopted two school families through HACAP.

--  Arthur Elementary School's Cub Scouts brought holiday joy to four school families in need, presenting them with decorated Christmas trees and food baskets.

--  Madison Elementary School students and staff have a traditional holiday food drive in December, collecting food items, paper goods, cleaning supplies, baby items and personal hygiene items. The school's corporate sponsor, Veridian Credit Union, donated hams for the food baskets which will be delivered to the families, along with the other items, this week.

--  The student council at Roosevelt Middle School was very busy this month. They sponsored Breast Cancer Awareness Week, volunteered to ring bells at the Salvation Army and spent time at Lindale Mall helping ARC with their “Wrapping for a Cause” program. On top of this, the council adopted a family of five, buying gifts to make their holiday a little brighter.

--  The fifth grade Girl Scouts troop at Jackson Elementary School partnered with the schools to host a bake drive during conferences in November. The goal was to raise enough money to provide Christmas dinner for one Jackson family in need, according to troop leader Tricia Fifield. However, the cookies sold to fast the first night, the troop made even more for the second night and raised more than $300 for their project. The troop of 12 girls purchased Christmas dinner for five Jackson families in need.

--  Students in Lory Christoffersen's fourth grade classroom at Coolidge Elementary School collected basic toiletry items for the Catherine McAuley Center. “We found out that this shelter provides women with basic toiletry items that they do not have or cannot afford,” Christoffersen said. “Sometimes there may not be room at the shelter, but the women may get a small sack with those basic items.” Christoffersen's students collected new toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, washcloths and other items for the center. They will decorate and assemble sacks filled with these items for their center during their class winter party this week instead of playing games.

--  Troop 8051 at Coolidge Elementary School worked with 12 Girl Scouts troops in the area to paint 368 frames for AniMeals, a volunteer organization that provides food for pet owners who can't afford it. The frames are animal-themes and will be a Christmas gift for AniMeals clients.

--  Classic Edition, McKinley Middle School's show choir, performed for several elementary schools, businesses, Cottage Grove Place and the Witwer Senior Center's Holiday Meal Celebration last week.

--  Washington High School's Student Senate raised more than $2,750 to adopt five HACAP families. The students raised the money through a competition among period three classes. Student senate members will shop for gifts for each of the 33 members of the five families and deliver the items a few days before Christmas.