Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Kirk Adams Elementary gets in the spirit of giving

Kirk Adams Night of Giving

Brett McAfee

In the music room, students sing Christmas carols with the honor choir to celebrate Kirk L. Adams Elementary school’s Night of Giving Wednesday.

Kirk Adams Elementary 3rd annual Night of Giving

A handmade sign advertising Kirk L. Adams Elementary school's Night of Giving Wednesday. Launch slideshow »

One hundred kids from the B.C. McCabe and Andre Agassi Boys and Girls Clubs as well as Big Brothers Big Sisters got early Christmas gifts Wednesday at Kirk L. Adams Elementary School for its third annual Night of Giving.

Each child is assigned to a Boys and Girls Club member to take around the school to four different stations. At the first station, the music room, children sing carols with the honor choir.

The library is the second station with a reading of “The Polar Express” and a gift of bells, then it’s on to the art room for popsicle stick frame decorating, and finally gifts with Santa and Mrs. Claus in the gym.

The child volunteers consisted of members of Gifted and Talented Education (GATE), the student council and O Ambassadors, Oprah Winfrey’s school-based global charity program.

“I’m in GATE and we’ve been helping out with a lot of things and even though I’ve been here since first grade, I didn’t know about this … and I like to help out with things around the school,” said Kirk Adams fifth-grader Christopher Putnam, 10.

Dawn Wallace, the school’s counselor, coordinated the volunteers for the program, including the gift donations, which start coming in the first week of December.

“We do a lot of board games. We try to do active things like NERF footballs, usually they get a lot of nice gifts,” she said. “They come from our staff members, students and family members.”

Students received their gifts from Mr. and Mrs. Claus (Gary and Epy Mauger) and twin elf helpers Meaghen and Morgan Mauger, who are Gary and Epy’s daughters. They also got pictures with the Clauses for the frames they decorated earlier in the art room.

“I did this last year and it’s just a great way to see kids who don’t always have a lot get something. It makes me feel good,” Kirk Adams special education teacher Sue Stoddard said. “It’s just fun to see the expressions on their faces and they’re so excited.”

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