SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) — Students from Lincoln High School have been spreading holiday cheer to first graders in Sioux Falls whose families can’t afford to put gifts underneath the tree this year.
The students made a special delivery at Hawthorne Elementary Thursday.
A holiday hint that something good was in store for these Hawthorne Elementary first graders.
“We have some friends that did something very special for you today,” principal Stephanie Jones said.
But first, a lesson in patience.
“And I’m not going to try and ruin the surprise, we’re going to wait for just a few minutes,” Jones said.
And then came the surprise.
“Here’s our special guests. We’re so glad you’re here. Come on in,” Jone said.
Twenty students from Lincoln High School’s special education RISE program came bearing gifts.
“Are you ready?”
Then it came time to open the presents. The excited students made quick work of the wrapping and were overwhelmed by the toys they received.
“Super surprised,” Hawthorne first-grader Sofia Sharify said.
“Everybody was so happy,” Hawthorne first-grader Jostifer Martinez Melgar said.
Donations to the non-profit Promising Futures Fund paid for the gifts. The Lincoln students gift-wrapped them all.
“I like to wrap presents and I like to help people celebrate Christmas,” Lincoln junior Eli Tornow said.
The Santas from Lincoln are visiting 13 elementary schools in all. All of them have high rates of poverty and a student body grateful for whatever gifts they receive.
“For a lot of these kids, you can tell they’re probably not getting much this time of year. And so, you watch that kid open up that monster truck or that Hot Wheels set or that doll, they’re beaming, they’re so excited,” Promising Futures Fund Founder & President Steve Hildebrand said.
The Lincoln students gift-wrapped more than 900 presents in all. They watched as the joyful Hawthorne students opened their presents before it was time to leave and spread that warm-hearted glow of giving to the next school.
The Lincoln students also made stops Thursday at Susan B. Anthony and Terry Redlin Elementary schools.
This is the fourth year the Promising Futures Fund has sponsored this gift distribution.
