Decked in her red, holiday pattern pajamas, 5-year-old Harper trots out of Principal Dawn Presley’s office to find herself surrounded by a group of adoring first graders. Presley’s pup, Harper, the Summit Academy Akron Elementary School mascot, is joining the school’s 130 students for a Polar Express/Grinch holiday celebration today.
As Instructional Coordinator Lindsey Durbin and Community Resource Coordinator Stephenie Little put the finishing touches on student gift bags filled with plush, cuddly toys and books, Durbin explains, “The Polar Express/Grinch Day kicks off our winter break, giving our school community an opportunity to make memories together.”
The children start the day gathered in their classrooms for crafting fun. In third-grade teacher Jennifer Langos’ classroom, students are making reindeer food, wrapping gifts for family members, creating Santa-style fruit kabobs and coloring images of themselves pictured with The Grinch.
“It was so realistic, it blew my mind,” says third-grader Parker, describing the coloring sheet in his likeness. “It really brought out my eyes.”
Parker says he looks forward to spending some of his holiday break outside, enjoying nature.
“I like to go on adventures, exploring forest areas,” he says. “I love nature. Nature is peace and peace is what a lot of people need right now.”
Meanwhile, in second-grade teachers Stephanie Hughes and Lillian Peterson’s class, the students are ready for a different kind of
adventure by way of The Polar Express. With their handmade conductor hats and personalized train tickets in hand, the children will be watching “The Polar Express” and enjoying story time as well, later comparing the book to the movie.
Soon, Santa will be on his way to the school to deliver gifts – donated by staff and family members – to every student.
The gifts are meant to provide the children with activities they can enjoy at home with their families, says Little, noting in the past, the presents ranged from board games to blankets.
Later this afternoon, students and their family members will return to the school to enjoy crafting together.
Six craft stations cover the gamut: snowmen popsicle sticks adorned with scarves the length of each child’s height, Christmas tree ornaments, painted 3-D printed snowmen figurines, paper-plate wreaths garnished with green tissue paper, Christmas cards sporting trees decorated with fingerprint-painted lights, and custom-designed ugly sweater pictures.
“We want to give our students something special to remember. They work so hard the first semester, and this gives them something to look forward to, making memories that will last a lifetime,” says Presley.