Fort Zumwalt Students, Staff Give Back For the Holidays

See how students and staff in the Fort Zumwalt School District are giving back this 2012 holiday season. 

Dardenne Elementary 

• The school sponsored a giving tree with gifts to be shared with a local charity for distribution to families in need this holiday season. 
• They also sponsored a care package drive for the troops in Afghanistan.  Students are filling a large box with personal care items, snacks and small gifts. 
• Students helped with O'Fallon's Cornucopia of Care Food Drive  and helped  Dec.  “ring the bell” for the Salvation Army. 

Westhoff Elementary 

• Make-A-Wish: his school year, we have adopted a 3-year-old-boy, Andrew, from the Make-a-Wish Foundation. By the end of November, Westhoff raised $2,773.65 to grant his wish to go on a Disney Cruise.
• The Pajama Program: The Pajama Program is a nonprofit  organization that provides books and pajamas to children in need. Students are encouraged to bring in a pair of new or gently used pajamas to school December 10-14.  All of the pajamas we collect will be given to local children in need.  And, for every pair of pajamas donated, Scholastic will also donate a book! 
• Meals on Wheels: Students colored pictures during the school day during the week of December 10-14.  All of the pictures will be given to local elderly people who receive the Meals on Wheels program during upcoming months. 

Ostman Elementary 

• Ostman held its annual canned food drive in November. The canned goods were donated to H.O.P.E. Ministries Food Pantry. Ostman Student.
• Ostman PTO hosted “Cookies with Santa” and families were asked to bring a canned good for admission to the event.  These cans are also donated to HOPE Ministries.
• The students also collected toys for their annual Salvation Army Toy Drive.  Toys were presented to the Salvation Army Representative at the character education assembly on Tuesday, Dec. 4. 
• Fifth grade students will continue with their Bell Ringing and they are also collecting change to donate to the Salvation Army Toy Drive.

Rock Creek Elementary 

• After viewing and hearing about the devastation left by Hurricane Sandy, Rock Creek Elementary sought out a school to adopt in that area. The New York City Department of Education matched the school with  P.S. 254 in Brooklyn, NY. For the school adoption, students have collected school supplies and backpacks. this school is one of the many that are welcoming students who have been displaced or lost their homes due to the storm. 

Fort Zumwalt North Middle

• Zumwalt North Middle has a holiday giving program again this year. 
• They hosted a canned food drive prior to Thanksgiving.  
• The school's Christmas Giving Tree will support needy families from the O’Fallon area by providing gifts for their children.  A school-wide competition will raise money for gift cards. In the end, food, gifts for children, and gift cards will be provided to the families. 

Fort Zumwalt North High School 

• Zumwalt North High School staff adopted a number of their own families from North High to make their holidays a little brighter
• Students participated in "10 Days of Giving."
• Student Council hosted a “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” fundraiser.  During this, students wore their favorite holiday sweaters and STUCO soldhot chocolate and cookies. All money collected goes to the newly established Panther Pantry Fund, to help students right here at North. 
• Pep Club sold $1 tickets for “Holiday Video Classics Night” in the auditorium, with all proceeds going towards The Salvation Army.
• DECA students hosted a “Pictures with Santa” activity, with all proceeds going to the Hope Food Pantry.

Fort Zumwalt East High School

• The National Honor Society (NHS) hosted the annual “Twelve Days of Giving” holiday campaign.  Students and staff are encouraged to make donations over a twelve day period, with each day focusing on a specific type of donation. All donations are collected and distributed to those in need not only in our own East High community but through the greater St. Peters community as well.

Fort Zumwalt South High School

• The Empowering Young Men and Empowering Young Women clubs at Fort Zumwalt South High School participated in St. Charles County’s No Hunger Holiday. The week before Thanksgiving, a turkey drive was held; students and staff members donated 113 turkeys along with cash donations to purchase an additional 60 turkeys, for a grand total of 173 turkeys!  These turkeys were used to fill food baskets to help those in need over the Thanksgiving holiday.
• DECA collected almost 60 coats from students and staff at South High to be donated to the Kingdom House. Kingdom House offers a variety of services; childcare, food and clothing assistance, job training, youth and teen programs and Senior Companions. The goal of Kingdom House is to help others achieve self-sufficiency and gain economic independence.  Since 1902, Kingdom House has transformed the lives of thousands of individuals in St. Louis.
• South High also hosted its annual Student Council sponsored 12 Days of Giving fundraiser. For twelve days, students and staff donate food, toiletries, laundry needs, baby essentials, paper products and clothing items that will be given to area  organizations such as the Crisis Nursery, Salvation Army, Hope Ministries, Our Little Haven, Women’s Center, etc. to aid in their efforts for the less fortunate.  In addition to these material donations, monetary donations are collected and given to up to fifteen South High families in need of assistance during the holiday season.  This is a time-honored tradition that students and staff of South High School have participated in for over 20 years.

Information provided by Fort Zumwalt principals. Thanks for sharing! 

Have information or another event your student/school is participating in? Let us know about it! Send us an email at jordan.lanham@patch.com. Tell us in the comments.