Welcome to America Gift Bags from 1st Grade

Each year, 1st graders read A Rose for Abby, a story about a young child learning to care for others in a community, and then consider ways they can make a difference. Some years, they have brought joy to older folks during visits to senior living facilities. Other years, they’ve focused closer to home, making special treats for our maintenance team members. This year, they joined forces with a parent who has been doing work with the Immigrant & Refugee Outreach Center to prepare gift bags for children from Afghan refugee families with warm winter gloves, Play-Doh, and handwritten notes. They hoped the bags (along with the 1,000 toys the organization gifted) would bring some cheer and peace to newly arrived families. The first graders also had the chance to talk about different cultural and religious traditions during the winter season and chose greetings appropriate for all.