6th graders give back to the community and the world

Andrew Rustad’s 6th grade class at St. Mary’s School in Alexandria found a different way to give during the holiday season.

A parent of one of Rustad’s students brought a World Vision magazine to him. The teacher discussed with the class how helping World Vision could be incorporated into the Advent season of giving.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization that works with children, families and their communities in more than 100 countries worldwide. It provides emergency assistance to children and families affected by natural disasters and civil conflict, works with communities to develop solutions to alleviate poverty and advocates for justice.

The teacher spoke with his class about the meaning of Christmas and how much a $5 gift exchange in the classroom meant to each of them.

Almost the entire class said they didn’t really remember who gave them their gift from the previous Christmas or even what the gift was.

The class decided to donate their $5 Christmas gift limit to World Vision.

With donations from the students and unexpected generous contributions from parents and a family business, the 21 students raised $1,272.

“I was hoping for around $100,” said Rustad.

Some of the items purchased with money raised from the class were poultry, livestock, safe water tablets, toys, fruit trees, medicine, immunizations, soccer balls and seeds.

The generosity did not stop there. Rustad’s 6th graders also contributed $100 toward the St. Mary’s Angel Tree.

The Angel Tree is a way to give presents to those less fortunate. Each class at St. Mary’s participates.

And each year the 6th grade class collects donations to the Douglas County Outreach Food Shelf. This year, 215 pounds of food were collected in a two-week period in December and given to the food shelf just before Christmas.

Tags: life, school