Students at ABC-Stewart School in Columbus are giving back to other children less fortunate this holiday season through a community service project.
Students in grades 1-6 at the private Montessori school helped raise nearly $1,000 that was used to purchase gifts for nine children being served by the United Way of Bartholomew County, ABC-Stewart director Mike Gorday said.
The school has been involved with such community service projects for several years, he said.
ABC-Stewart reached out to families of its own students for financial support, raising an estimated $900. A total of 76 elementary students helped gather money, Gorday said.
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Nine sixth-grade students went shopping at Walmart on Monday for items based on one individual’s wish list. The gifts were then brought back to ABC-Stewart, where students wrapped them before they were delivered to the United Way, Gorday said.
ABC-Stewart students also created holiday cards, he said.
Sam Gupta, an ABC-Stewart sixth-grader, said he thought it was important to give back to others, especially around the holiday season.
“It feels very nice to do something nice for someone,” Gupta said. “We’re giving them something they deserve. It feels good to give a gift than to receive one.”
Gupta, who was given a list of items for a 15-year-old boy, said this individual wanted a skateboard. Gupta decided to buy him one as well as a helmet, in addition to clothing that included a hoodie sweatshirt, shirt, pants, shoes and socks.
“We hope they feel better on Christmas,” Gupta said.
Gupta said he and other students feel like they made a difference as a result of the service project.
“I think they might have happy and cheerful faces,” he said. “It might change their hope.”
Gorday also said the service project was also a good learning experience for sixth-grade students on how to budget money.
“We’re very pleased with their support,” Gorday said.
