CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — David Crockett Elementary School's Angel Tree program ensures that every one of their students gets a present this Christmas.
The difference between this year is that not all their students have been sponsored yet. The principal at David Crockett elementary school, Amy Leo spoke with 3NEWS and said, "We're needing about 75 students still to be sponsored."
Teachers and staff are not required to choose students to sponsor but most of them still do.
Venessa Davis is a 1st grade teacher at David Crockett. She told 3NEWS, "I've had students that have just tell me, "Oh look at my shoes. Did you see my new shoes?" It's great. Rewarding, very rewarding. They say it's always better to give than to receive."
For seven years, the Angel Tree program ensures that students at schools will get to open a Christmas gift for the holidays. It's not about getting students what they want but what they might need.
Assistant principal at David Crockett, Bryanna Jackson explained, "When we come back in January, that's when our cold months do happen to get here, and a lot of our kids don't have the clothes they need. They don't have long sleeves or jackets and so it's nice when they can come to school prepared and not worry."
They think about what their students can get the most out of. "A lot of kids around this time is when their growth spurt starts to hit."
The students get to open their gifts right before the Christmas and the new year holiday. "Before I was a little hesitant, do we let them open it here? I'd hate from them to lose something, but you can't give a kid a gift and tell them they can't open it yet, so it's exciting to see their faces and then they wear their shoes the very next day."
If the school doesn't get the last 75 students sponsored, they will still make sure those kids are taken care of.
Leo said, "We do have some donation money that has been put into accounts in case we need to shop ourselves and make sure that each kid gets a gift to open."
There's still time to step in. If you would like to sponsor a student at Crockett elementary or donate, you can call the school at (361) 878-2220.
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