TTE students were excited to help make the holidays bright for those less fortunate with various school drives this season.

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Anna Mallinson

Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) students spent the holiday season thinking of others and providing for those less fortunate.  Every student was involved in some way and contributed to the spirit of giving.

The kindergarten students and the Before and After School Care program collected toys for the 3rd Annual Trey McCleery Foundation Holiday Toy Drive.  “Our kindergarten students at Timber Trail Elementary just completed a unit on ‘Needs and Wants’,” explained kindergarten teacher Jenny Agster.  “Students ‘need’ to know how others ‘want’ to be remembered during the holiday season.  We wanted to honor the memory of a former student (Trey McCleery), as well as those children that will be in the hospital during the holidays.”

Third graders worked diligently to make the holidays a little brighter for local families within their project-based learning unit “Lean on Me.”  The students “adopted” seven families (with a total of 21 people) through The Crisis Center in Castle Rock.  In order to provide gifts for these families, some students raised money by doing extra chores at home while others donated their allowance.  Students also ran a bake sale and encouraged their fellow students and staff to buy their baked goods at lunch and recess.  “The kids are so proud of themselves and have a very genuine and vested interest in these families,” said third grade teacher Kimberly Jester.  “They couldn’t wait to go shopping and see the fruits of their labors make a difference in so many lives.”

Traditionally, the fifth graders contribute in some way at all their class parties, and this holiday season was no different.  The students contributed to the Sock It To ‘Em campaign, which is a local nonprofit organization started in Castle Pines.  The kids solicited the help of the entire school to collect 750 pairs of socks, and then they were sorted by sizes before they were ready to be distributed to the homeless population in Colorado.

Finally, the whole school came together during the Winter Spirit Week.  Timber Team (TTE’s Student Council) joined with the Fresh Food Harvest Bank to support local families in need.  In order to participate, students had the choice to pay $1 per day or to provide a new or gently used item of winter clothing.  There was crazy hair day, ugly sweater day and dress like a holiday character day.  Students raised $620 to buy presents and also had some left over to buy toys for the toy drive.  In addition, students collected seven large bags of winter clothing!

Jester was proud to announce that the third graders raised almost $3,600, and the bake sale brought in another $1,100.  In addition to providing the TTE adopted families with gifts for the holidays, there was enough money to give each family a gift card for Christmas dinner.

“I am so proud of our Timber Trail students and their desire to help those in need,” said Principal Michele Radke.  “They truly embody and exemplify the true meaning of the holiday season.”