As Christmas break approaches, so does the deadline of the TLC Present Drive! Although all of the foster children’s gift request sheets were claimed, there is the ever-present (get it?) concern of wrapping the gifts and bringing them to Room 200 in time.

The deadline is tomorrow December 18 at 3 p.m. at the latest. So bring in the wrapped presents—with the child’s name and family code on it—as soon as possible.

Now with those more pressing matters out of the way, the reactions towards the present drive were brimming with positivity.

Senior Lindsay Malloy (no relation) perfectly summarized most Beaver Area students’ views: “I think it’s a really cool opportunity for students and teachers to be able to buy presents [for the foster children].”

Senior Hannah Szczesny emphasized the side of helping those in the local community who are less fortunate.

“I think that it is a good opportunity for students to show that we can make a difference in the community by helping kids who wouldn’t get presents because they’re not as privileged,” Szczesny commented.

Mrs. Sarah Sams’s first period AP Psychology class took the opportunity to buy a present to a new and more creative level: all the students pitched in money to buy what a foster child wanted for Christmas. He asked for LEGOs and art supplies, and since LEGOs tend to be on the more expensive side, all the students were able to pitch in a small sum of money for all of his gifts.

However, there will always be critics. Junior Elisabeth Sewall qualified her appreciation for the drive by emphasizing the potential for more children to receive gifts.

“I actually think it’s very nice, and it usually turns out to be a successful [event], but I overall think that we need to increase our participants so we can donate to more foster kids,” Sewall noted.

By the looks of it, the present drive was again able to spread holiday cheer not only around the school but most importantly to area foster children. Thanks for your help!