Each year, our school’s National Honor Society (NHS) hosts the Angel Tree project in conjunction with the Salvation Army to raise money to purchase Christmas gifts for children who are homeless, in foster homes and orphans. The society is assigned 51 children’s wish lists to fulfill each “wish” using the fundraised money. Trunk or Treat, also sponsored by NHS, acts as an early fundraiser for Angel Tree. After that event passes, the club assigns interested members to first period classrooms across campus. For two weeks, the members visit those classes and give a pitch to the students while passing around envelopes to collect money and urge their fellow students to donate towards the gift for the child assigned to that classroom. Some classes decide exactly what gift they would like to sponsor for their child, raise that money, and then tell NHS what gift to buy.
The NHS Angel Tree drive began Nov. 27 and ends Dec. 8. After the fundraiser ends, a group of NHS members who are part of the toy buying committee will go to Toys R Us Sat., Dec. 9 to purchase the toys on the wish lists. The staff at Toys R Us allow the group to use their staff lounge to collect and organize all the toys. Once the students buy the toys, another committee packs the toys and delivers them to the Salvation Army.
Within the club, Angel Tree is overseen by Vice President Amber Bhutta who has three committee chairs to help out: Daniela Velez is in charge of the classrooms and class envelopes; Chloe Brown will lead members buying toys; and Paridhi Kapadia’s committee will ensure the toys are safely delivered to Salvation Army.
“As stressful as it’s been organizing the project, I’m glad to play a part in making the holiday season a little bit brighter for kids who don’t always have much to look forward to,” NHS Vice President Amber Bhutta said. “We’re very privileged to attend this school where our greatest concerns may involve a low grade on our latest test. As such, NHS is happy to help kids who don’t have the luxury of worrying about something that, in the scope of things, is so small.”
