Holiday Helping Hands
December 21, 2007
 Plano ISD's 53,000 students and 7,000 employees collected 100,000 canned food items and hundreds of gifts for families in need this holiday season. Students and staff delivered clothing and gifts for more than 89 families, including 350 children. Featured here are some of their many acts of holiday kindness.
Elementary Schools
Andrews Elementary School
Andrews Elementary students and staff collected 2,813 cans of food, even incorporating them into their physical education weight lifting program, thanks to teachers Emily Bednarz and Mary Jo Landingham. The students also collected toys, treats and blankets for the Collin County Animal Shelter. Students and their families also brought in new mittens and hats for children at the Samaritan Inn.
Beaty Early Childhood School
Thirty Beaty staff members contributed gifts to four families in need at the school. Also, students and staff contributed to the annual food drive.
Bethany Elementary School
STOP (Students Thinking of Peers) sposored a successful coat drive, collecting hundreds of coats and winter jackets to donate to the Collin County Children's Advocacy Center. Students also helped with Adam's Animals, collecting new stuffed animals to donate to sick children in local hospitals. STOP students tagged the animals with a special message. Not only are they helping outside of their school, Bethany students also helped with beautification efforts at by planting tulip bulbs around the campus.
Beverly Elementary School
Beverly students collected 330 coats during the school's "Share the Warmth" school coat drive to provide to the Clothes Closet.
Dooley Elementary School
The Dooley Student Council collected a record 702 food items and earned a special day in P.E., thanks to students and parents who helped with the food drive.
Forman Elementary School
Harrington Elementary School
Harrington Elementary Student Council officers and classmates celebrated the school’s successful canned food drive. Pictured are (l-r) Morgan Devaney, class representative; Chris Nelson, president, Lauren Helm, treasurer; Laura Brazier, vice-president; Preeti Kumar, secretary; and Noah Kerner, class representative.
Rose Haggar Elementary School
Through their annual "Make a Child Happy" program, s tudents at Rose Haggar encouraged parents and fellow students to provide holiday gifts (such as shoes, sweat suits and coats) and stocking stuffers for 150 students enrolled in the Head Start Program located at Meadows Elementary School. In addition, Rose Haggar students collected 1,600 non-perishable food items during its annual food drive.
Shepard Elementary
Shepard Elementary came to the aide of one of its families whose house burned down last week. PTA leaders organized cash donations, clothing and a temporary apartment. In addition, Shepard Citizens of the Month, awarded by the Plano Rotary Club, prepared envelopes for the school’s annual Giving Tree project.
Wyatt Elementary School
Wyatt students in the Orff Instrument Ensemble Choir plays and sang for the residents of The Waterford assisted living center. After playing, the students also visited with residents to wish them a happy holiday season.
Middle Schools
Bowman Middle School
Bowman Middle School participated for the fifth year in its “Help the Kids Fund” to sponsor several of the school’s families with gifts. Local companies, community members and college volunteers supported the effort through monetary and other donations.
Carpenter Middle School
Carpenter Middle School students are learning about global issues through participation in the O Ambassadors program, a joint project of Oprah’s Angel Network and Free The Children. Funds raised by Carpenter students will be used towards holistic development projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Frankford Middle School
Frankford Middle School Art Teacher Melissa Nerdin, students and teachers created hand made bowls to serve at a fundraising dinner. For their donation, dinner guests each received a bowl, and proceeds were given to the Texas Food Bank.
Murphy Middle School
The Murphy PALs (Peer Assistance and Leadership) class adopted two children through the Collin County Children's Advocacy Center, purchasing items from their wish lists, such as a bicycle, Nintendo 64 and games, winter jackets and more.
Renner Middle School
The Renner National Junior Honor Society's "Students for Soldiers" Program - the brainchild of student Ryan Brown - (pictured in white sweatshirt) collected gifts to send to the 4th Infantry division currently serving in Iraq. Ryan is pictured with classmate Nick Sorsby (Eagles t-shirt) and soldiers. Ryan's intention is to expand the program from a holiday to a permanent project, with the assistance of fellow Plano ISD schools.
One of the soldiers pictured is Sergeant Marion who recently returned from Iraq. He told the boys that care packages are a tremendous morale booster that brighten a soldier's day. Ryan has affiliated the charity with a 501.c charity called Operation Once in a Lifetime, which is dedicated to helping U.S. service troops.
Ryan has met and personally adopted Sergeant Gregg Kunkle (who has a wife and three small children). Sergeant Kunkle was deployed for his second tour in Iraq 3 weeks ago. Personnel from Fort Hood are supplying Ryan with lists of soldier names and their e-mail addresses who are currently in Iraq. Operation Once In a Lifetime will ship the care packages and supply tax deduction receipts for donations. Soldier e-mail addresses are available for any student who wants to have a one-on-one contact with a soldier.
In addition to the NJHS efforts, the Renner Band also held its successful annual canned food drives during their winter concerts for the Plano Food Pantry.
High Schools
Jasper High School
Jasper High School PALs adopted a family for the holidays. They also visited Colonial Lodge, an assisted living and retirement community, to carol for residents, serve refreshments and play card games. Honors Biology students of teacher Peri Haynes and the Jasper JROTC also adopted a family of four, with two small boys whose father has been laid off from work. STAND (Students Taking Action Not Drugs) group donated hygiene items and coats for Hope's Door women's shelter.
Shepton High School
Shepton High School Volleyball Team divided and conquered by shopping, wrapping and delivering gifts for a local family in need. The girls also provided a donated stove to the family. The Shepton JROTC also adopted a family.
Vines High School
The Vines Student Council adopted a family of three in need. Student bought presents from the family's wish list. (Pictured) Vines High School National Honor Society members Hayley Bilbray and Nikhila Kanthety worked together with fellow NHS members to make blankets for the Linus Blanket Program in Plano.
Senior High Schools
Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School Swim Team donated 1,200 canned goods. Spanish Club and Spanish classes donated $700 through an annual “pass the can” drive to assist three families with a total of 13 children. FCCLA (Family, Community and Career Leaders of America) collected items for Hope’s Door women’s shelter.
Plano West Senior High School
Plano West Senior High School JROTC cadets organized the adoption of a family through Plano Santas, also collecting gifts from Jasper and Shepton high school cadets. At Thanksgiving, PWSH Student Congress joined PALs to provide dinner for a family in need. The students also collected items for CITY House (Collin Intervention to Youth) runaway youth shelter, toys and books for Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital, and organized a craft night for patients at the hospital. The group also wrote holiday greetings to soldiers overseas.
Canned Food Drive Results
The students and staff at our campuses and facilities collected and donated 100,000 cans of food to the Plano Santas. Listed below are the campuses by level and the top three achievers at each level:
Elementary
- 1st Place - Hunt Elementary with 8,118 cans (This is the 2nd year for Hunt to be in the top three)
- 2nd Place - Centennial Elementary with 4,874 cans
- 3rd Place - Barksdale Elementary with 4415 cans (This is the 2nd year for Barksdale to be in the top three)
Middle School
- 1st Place - Robinson Middle School with 6000 cans
- 2nd Place - Murphy Middle School with 5334 cans (This is the 2nd year for Murphy to be in the top three)
- 3rd Place - Wilson Middle School with 5200 cans (This is the 2nd year for Wilson to be in the top three)
High School/Senior High
- 1st Place - Jasper HS with 1801 cans (This is the 2nd year for Jasper to be in the top three)
- 2nd Place - Plano East Senior High with 1620 cans
- 3rd Place - Plano West Senior High with 760 cans (This is the 2nd year for PWSH to be in the top three)
Congratulations to all of the students and staff members for your generosity and community spirit!
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