Tis
the season for giving and once again Northeast will be participating in their
annual ‘Christmas Jar' Project. Students at Northeast will be reading and
discussing "Penny's Christmas Jars Miracle", a story of a young girl
who gets a whole neighborhood involved in her plan for her Christmas
Jars.
Northeast fifth graders will be visiting each classroom to explain
the story of the "Christmas Jars" and leave a decorated jar.
Students will have the opportunity to bring spare change in order to fill their
class's jar from December 3 - 21. "Northeast Elementary has 440
students," said Terrie Maloley, Counselor. "So if we all work together,
we can do great things."
According
to Maloley, the jars will be donated to the Kearney Cancer Center and given to
a patient and his/her family. Representatives from the Cancer Center will
be at the December 21 Northeast sing-a-long to accept the Christmas Jar and
share how the gift will impact this family. Last year Northeast Elementary
donated $1,500 through the Christmas Jar campaign.
Fifth
grade student, Nolan Eatherton, is head of the Media Committee for the
project. According to Eatherton, a Community Christmas Jar will be
located at the Northeast Elementary office in case the Kearney community would
like to participate in the project. The students also want to encourage
other people to do Christmas Jar Acts on their own. "It's all about
families doing community service by donating extra change, like the change in
your pocket or couch cushions," he explained. "Every penny counts." Eatherton encouraged families or businesses around the community to
give anonymously because ‘..the whole point is to give without any
return.'
The
students have translated the book into "kindergarten" language for the younger
students. Starting Monday, December 3, the Christmas Jar committee
members will be visiting all the Northeast classrooms to read the book and
explain the promotion. Students will be making a video for their website
and Facebook pages as well.
