Students Share Spirit of the Season

If you didn't know better, you would have thought had transformed itself into the North Pole on Thursday morning.

Thanks to the generosity and participation of all 25 classes from kindergarten through the fifth grade, children attending King Elementary School in Richmond received a special delivery from its sister school in Danville long before Santa's arrival later this month.

"It's pretty amazing how generous this community is," said Prabhjot Ahluwalia, who coordinated the effort.

The Sister School Program is a district-wide PTA-sponsored effort through the to foster civic responsibility, enhance community engagement, promote volunteerism and teach the joy of helping others in need.
 
The goal is accomplished by partnering each school in the SRVUSD with a partner school in a neighboring disadvantaged area of the East Bay. Through collaborative determination of need, schools in the SRVUSD conduct a minimum of two drives and/or fundraisers per year for items that benefit the children of their sister schools.

Sycamore Valley Elementary had already conducted a project to raise money for King Elementary to purchase athletic equipment to replace what was lost during a fire at their school last year.

"The program really revolves around going in and asking what they need instead of just taking stuff over," Ahluwalia said.

Then came Thursday's effort, the culmination of each class either purchasing or donating Christmas gifts that were wrapped and bundled up for delivery. The gifts included toys, books, makeup, jewelry and seven bicycles as well as basic needs such as dishes, cleaning supplies, toothbrushes, toilet paper and canned food and pantry items.

"This year it just took off, every class participated," Ahluwalia said. "I couldn't believe it. The whole school was involved."

At least 25 volunteers were on hand to fill a large truck with the items, along with another pick-up truck and seven vehicles that caravanned to the Richmond school on Thursday.

"It's about meaningful giving and teaching our kids about the community," Ahluwalia said. "It's not exclusive to Danville, there is a bigger community out there. They live very differently than we do. It's a great learning experience for the parents, kids and everybody."