I owe every single person who donated or in some way supported the Story Spark Christmas Project a huge thanks and update on the success of our efforts.
In truth, I find myself a bit speechless and my mind starts spinning when I really think about it. So while words fail me, let’s start with the numbers.
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- $1150 raised
- 65 Amarillo children received gifts including
- 37 Pre-K students
- 5 younger siblings
- 14 elementary age siblings
- 4 middle school age siblings
- 5 high school age siblings
- from 2 classes with
- 2 very grateful and humbled AISD teachers who work in
- 2 very low income childcare centers.
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Awesome fact I learned about Amarillo ISD: AISD has partnered with area daycares to house an AISD teacher so students that would typically miss out on a Pre-K experience because their parents work and could not get them to and from school still get the opportunity to have an early childhood education with extended childcare hours. Each center serves children ages 6 weeks to 10 years old. They pick up children from specific AISD elementary schools to provide the childcare needed during after school hours.
The two classrooms we adopted belong to two of these children’s learning centers, which enroll about 60-80 children each. Trust me when I tell you how very VERY grateful the teachers and the staff were when I dropped off gifts last week, along with letters explaining the Story Spark Christmas Project and the importance of reading and playing together.
Perhaps the best thanks I can share are these from one of the teachers: “Thank you so so much! I just want you to know that you all made all of my kids day! They were so excited! I appreciate what you have done, thank you, thank you, thank you again and again!! So grateful!”
