December 18, 2017 at 4:03 p.m.
Dear Santa: FBLA students help youngsters with holiday letters
Dear Santa: FBLA students help youngsters with holiday letters
By Kayla Thomason-
"The students are excited, they were excited to see the high school students this morning," said Wendy Deitz, first grade teacher at Crescent Elementary.
The high school students help the youngsters by offering writing prompts such as asking Santa something about his life, telling Santa two good things about their behavior and asking for two things they'd like for him to bring them for Christmas.
The high schoolers also help the younger students with spelling and grammar so Santa can understand their requests.
"Sometimes Santa writes back, sometimes our FBLA/DECA friends will help Santa get those letters back to us and so it's really fun to get those responses back," Deitz explained.
Deitz thinks the interaction between the younger and older students is beneficial to both groups.
"I think it's very important," she said. "The first graders are always looking up to our high school students as role models and just the way that these students are interacting with the first graders is all just a positive experience. Some day our first graders will be over at the high school maybe doing the same thing."
Lauren Rosendahl, FBLA/DECA vice president of social activities, enjoyed her second year assisting the younger students.
"We're figuring out how Santa's reindeer fly - we want to figure that out - and then how many carrots they eat per day, what do their elves do, are they all ready," she said of the children's questions.
Rosendahl said the older students enjoy spending time with the younger students as much as the youngsters enjoy having the big kids around.
"I think it's really important because it helps us make the bonds and maybe when they get to high school they'll want to help out with the same projects so we keep the project going and keep the relationships going with the kids," Rosendahl said.
FBLA/DECA member Ben Sinclair was proud of his young charges.
"It's going great," he said, adding that the students he was working were planning to ask for Xboxes for Christmas and they wanted to know if Santa has a dog.
First grader Vance Downey asked Santa if Mrs. Claus was baking a lot of cookies.
He said he really enjoyed having the high school students help him with his letter.
"I do like them," he said, adding that his class thanked the older students by giving them many thank yous as well as chips and water.
Kayla Breese may be reached at kayla@ rivernewsonline.com.
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