What happens when a group of high school students decide to adopt an entire school for Christmas? I found out Thursday morning when we went to Lincoln-King Academy in Detroit.
The idea to adopt a school came from students in a leadership class at Walled Lake Northern High School. Megan Pearl and Mikayla Ryder two students from Walled Lake Northern took the lead on the giant project. The project was completely student lead and sponsored.
Students from Lincoln-King filled out a wish list of two items they wanted and two items they needed. Then students, parents, and community members adopted the students.
The Walled Lake students then organized wrapping parties to get the gifts wrapped. They also got UPS to donate a truck and driver to deliver all of the gifts.
“We have the opportunity to form a relationship with Detroit students. The gifts we are bringing are just a way to help build a friendship beyond the usual borders,” said Megan Pearl. “Isn’t the gift of friendship the greatest Christmas gift?”
Freezing temperatures didn’t keep the kids from unloading the UPS truck that had been filled to the brim with gifts for the Lincoln-King students.
Gifts were sorted by classroom in the cafeteria and then distributed to each class. Students would unwrap the gifts as a class after they ate lunch.
Both schools hope that this will foster a friendship between the students.
“We want to take something that could have been just a one-time thing and turn it into a meaningful relationship,” said Ernestine Sanders, Education Manager for Lincoln King Academy. “It is so wonderful that the Walled Lake students are bringing Christmas gifts to all of our students, but what is also special is that these students want to form a relationship with our students.”
Next year the middle school students at Lincoln-King will visit the high school to get an idea of how it is.