Every year the school’s music room is transformed into the Holiday Store for students to do Christmas shopping for their parents. They bring in change they have earned from little jobs around the house or generous parents and grandparents. The students browse a variety of items appropriate for any member of their family including their pets.
The surplus of inventory comes by way of Principal Candace Crane and a year long task of finding bargains from one end of the state to the other. With money from yearly PTO fundraisers, she gathers her stash and school staff and volunteers organize, price and box it up for the popular December event.
Money-filled envelopes and zip-locked baggies are clutched tightly in little hands as each class gives their students their turn to shop. All students, from pre-K to second grade choose what they think would be good gifts for members of their family. Even students who aren’t able to bring money from home are able to shop through the generosity of teachers or members of the community who have heard about this special event and generously given money for those in need.
The first day each student buys only two items to make sure there is enough for everyone. Then on the second day, they can return to the Holiday Store to purchase as many gifts as they need for other family members.
Several Houlton High School students also came to help with wrapping, as did parent volunteers and any staff member who had a few minutes. Superintendent Schneider also stepped in to help with wrapping this year.
As gifts were wrapped, one little boy from kindergarten jumped up and down exclaiming how excited his father would be with a special photo album he was getting and how his mother would love the Christmas earrings he had picked out.
Christmas is all about giving and to have more than 400 students take home gifts for their families is very exciting and it wouldn’t happen without a caring, committed principal who always seems to find the energy to do one more thing for the students at her school.
Thank you Principal Crane for making Christmas happen for so many students.
