During the holiday season of 2004, Helen expressed a dream of the
School hosting a holiday party for underprivileged kids in our
community. The students of PHTS made that dream a reality on
December 14, 2005 when they hosted the first annual Homes for the
Homeless/PHTS Holiday Party for 20 kids living in shelters in
Manhattan and the Bronx (check out our partner organization, Homes
for the Homeless at www.homesforthehomeless.com ).
Under Bev Mitchell's guidance, leaders were selected from amongst the
student body to head up seven committees: Logistics, Decorations,
Arts and Crafts, Refreshments, Games and Activiites, Gifts, and
Entertainment.
Working over the course of the semester, students
conceptualized, designed, programmed, organized, planned, baked,
wrapped, rehearsed, sewed, cut, paste, and glued. We collected
donations of toys, books, and decorations and sat in the hallways
between classes to cut out snowflakes and make paper chain garlands.
The end result was a holiday party the likes of which none of us had
ever experienced. The halls were decked to the hilt and music and
laughter rang from every corner of the 4th Floor of 440 Lafayette
Street.
The kids we met were full of joy and life and thrilled to be the
center of our attention for a few hours. They were treated to
performances by the Acting Practicum and interactive storytelling.
Arts and Crafts included Polaroids on decorated snowman frames and
Marleen Pennison and the COW crew helped out in the Games and
Activities room where everybody got silly. They decorated cookies,
built snowmen from marshmallows and candy, and every child received a
toy and a book to take home.
At the end of the day, it was hard to tell who had had a better
time...the little kids or the big ones.
Special thanks to Joanna Wilson, Nate Koch, Jordan Woods-Robinson,
Helen Cook and Bev Mitchell for photos.
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