SUPERIOR – Fourth graders from Superior Elementary School received a lesson in generosity Tuesday, December 17, when the class went to shop for the less fortunate as part of a community service project.

The project was built to raise Christmas spirit and provide gifts for families who might not be able to afford presents otherwise. The project was coordinated with Women in Timber and the Superior Lions Club, who were set up to distribute gifts and other support to the families on their list.

“We took everything out to Ruthy Warnken,” said Stacy Crabb, fourth grade teacher at Superior. “She’s a member of the Women in Timber, and they’ve collected names of families throughout Mineral County that will receive a food basket from the Lions Club.”

The class leapt into the project, driven to spread Christmas cheer. A few weeks ago, the students decorated a number of jars and cans, which were then given to the various businesses around town. The containers came with a request for customers to put spare change, or any donations, inside. More buckets were also given out to the various classes of the elementary school.

“We put one in each of the classrooms and challenged [them to raise money] and the winner got an ice cream party,” said Crabb.

According to Crabb, her class raised $676.17 through the various donations. She also said the third grade class won the school contest with approximately $240 raised. The third graders ice cream party took place Thursday, December 19.

The donations from the classes were calculated and placed on a bar graph, which was put up on the Good Work Board in the elementary school. The rest of the money was collected from around town and added to the pot. After the money was collected, it was time to shop for presents.

In the early afternoon Tuesday, the class made a special field trip to Superior’s business district to shop. Crabb said the students went to the Mineral Pharmacy, Castles Grocery and Railhead Sporting Goods. The trip used up all of the collected money, except for a dollar and some change, which was donated to Women in Timber.

There was a challenge to the task as the kids bought presents with no knowledge of who the recipient would be. A variety of items were purchased on the trip, from toys for toddlers to hunter’s supplies and stuff to play in the snow, which older kids would enjoy. According to Crabb, her students bought gifts for boys and girls up to 18 years of age.

“I got this little cashier’s set with some food and some drinks for five or six year olds,” said Zane Wilson. “I also got one of those big tubes of – I’m not sure what they were, I’m thinking Lincoln Logs, but that’s not what they were.”

After the trip, the students were asked to write a journal entry about how the experience made them feel. Most of the students said they felt very good about the experience and happy to have helped make another kid’s Christmas a little better. Wilson compared how he felt to the end of How the Grinch Stole Christmas when the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes. The sentiment seemed to be shared with everyone in class.

“I felt all warm and cozy inside knowing that we were helping all these kids that weren’t getting a lot of gifts on Christmas,” said Heath Edison, another student of the class.

This is a lesson Crabb tries to instill each year she teaches. She said this was usually a yearly event and she liked to do at least one community project a year, both to raise money for local organizations and to teach her students about ways to give back to the community.

In the past, classes have made wreathes for the Hospital Guild, quilts and participated in walkathons for the American Cancer Society.

“I think it’s really important for kids to learn, early on, that it feels really good to give back,” said Crabb.

The businesses were very open to the event and worked well with the kids. The parents who chaperoned the trip reported a couple businesses threw in a sled with the purchases. Crabb said the students went in to shop in small groups to not crowd the stores. She said the businesses supported the project fully.

“I think the local businesses really appreciate the boost in business,” said Crabb. “I think it’s good for our economy also.”

When Crabb asked if the students would be more open to participate in a similar event in the future, the class enthusiastically agreed. The trip worked well for both of its goals – the kids learned a lesson about generosity while they simultaneously gave help to neighbors in the community.