SANDPOINT — A teacher once asked her young first-graders to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful.

It wasn’t the best of neighborhoods and she knew what the students would draw: a turkey for a holiday feast or a laden holiday table filled with the bounties of the land. It was after all, what was expected of them, relates Readers Digest in the story.

But when the teacher saw one student’s photo, she was taken aback. The student — quiet, shy, and always found nearby — had drawn the picture of a hand. His classmates were fascinated by the drawing.

The hand of God, guessed one. He is the one who responsible for the food and animals.

No, guessed another. It must be that of a farmer because they raise the turkeys.

Still another guessed a policeman or a fireman, because they protect the community.

So pleased by the responses, the teacher almost forgot about the young student who’d drawn the picture. Setting the rest of the class to another task, she bent down by his desk and asked whose hand it was.

“It’s yours,” he whispered.

At that moment, she recalled she occasionally took the young student’s hand — as she did with the rest of the class. But to have it mean so much to the one touched her deeply.

Perhaps, the Reader’s Digest story notes, this was the teacher’s Thanksgiving — and everybody’s Thanksgiving — not the material things we acquire or are given to us — but the small ways in which we give to others.

Those small things — playing outside, pumpkins, a family joke, sunshine warming summer days and a layer of snow perfect to play in. All these and more are among the things for which students are Sandpoint Waldorf School are thankful.

Each year the students share those items. Family, pets and nature are chief among those things for which they are most thankful.

Below are their stories.

Huckleberry Kindergarten

McKinley — “Thank you for playing outside.”

Silas — “Thank you for the whole world.”

North — “Thank you for the pumpkins.”

Libby — “Thank you for the love in our hearts.”

Sophia — “Thank you for the school.”

Kai — “Thank you for the golden light.”

Adie — “Thank you for the stars, moon and sun.”

Xander — “Thank you for the animals and donkeys.”

Bella — “Thank you for God.”

Grade 1

Daniel — “I am thankful for my family.”

Paxton — “I am thankful for the hunter that provided the turkey.”

Makayla — “I am thankful for the people who live in this town.”

Kaylie — “I am thankful for the food, for my mom, for my dad and I’m also thankful for the world.”

Grey — “I am thankful for my brother, who saved my dog from a wild animal yesterday.”

Rosie — “I am thankful for this life and that I get to be with my friends and family at Thanksgiving. I am also thankful for my school and my family’s great food.”

Anonymous — “I am thankful that God made the world so pretty and for the life he gave me. I am also thankful for my baby cousin, for playing with my friends and for having a great family.”

Anonymous — “I am thankful for my family – my sister, my mom and my dad and that my mom works in the office and whenever I get hurt I can go see her.”

Ivory — “I am thankful for this school and for the United States.”

Winslow — “I am thankful that we have this school and that I was born.”

Rowan — “I am thankful for the food that God gives me.”

Baiya — “I am thankful that I get to go to Boise and see my cousins for Thanksgiving, that I get double presents at Christmas because it is my birthday, that my sister has a machine that makes glass.”

Elsa — “I am thankful for all the gardens that are planted for our food, that I love life and that we can draw and do art. I am also thankful for my family and for the sunshine.”

Tsali — “I am thankful for snow and snowball fights, Christmas, my birthday, my mom and dad, and my best friend, Evelyn.”

Grade 2

Lila — “ I am thankful for my family, my mom, my dad, my sister, my dog and my cat and the mountains and the snow and my friends and most of all Thanksgiving.”

Madelina — “ I am grateful for turkey.”

Emery — “ I am grateful for mom and dad “

Tracen — “ I am grateful for turkeys. I like turkeys because they walk by my house.”

Athena — “ I like turkeys and the fall.”

Sage — “ I am grateful for wildlife because all the seasons are fun.”

Eden — “ I am grateful for nature.”

Deacon — “ I love my family.”

Fate — “ I am grateful for the moon. I am grateful for the sun. I love the world.”

Cora — “ I am grateful for my family and Christmas.”

Emi — “ I am grateful for school.”

Ellie — “ I am grateful for my friends and family and the snow. And I’m grateful for pandas.”

Jude — “ I am grateful for my mom and dad and the earth and my house.”

Elaina — “ I am grateful for my cat, my dog, my sisters, my mom and dad and my farm and my house, my family and my friends –

Cadyn — “ I am grateful for my house.”

Grade 3

Sage — “I am grateful for every loving and peaceful thing on Earth.”

Cody — “I am grateful for everything and everyone.”

Sierra — “I am grateful for family and friends.”

Nathan — “I am grateful for trees.”

Brookelyn — “I am grateful for the sun.”

Everett — “I am grateful for everything.”

Zoe — “I am grateful for the winds, north, south, east, west, the rains on the Earth and the sun and the light.”

Jacob — “I am grateful for the flowers and the Earth that makes the flowers and the trees and the rainbow and the grass.”

Maryah — “I am grateful for fruit and plants so I can grow.”

Cairn — “I am grateful for the people who are protesting against the bad things happening.”

Alex — “I am grateful for the Earth.”

Hanna — “I am grateful for the animals.”

Rowan — “I am grateful for Thanksgiving dinners and the animals who provided us with it.”

Mason — “I am grateful for the Earth.”

Opal — “I am grateful for my friends because they help me with all problems.”

Henry — “I am grateful for family and I am grateful for the Army.”

Grade 4

Baylee — “I am grateful for potatoes, fireworks, my friends, my school, my teacher, food and YOU!”

Jonas — “I am thankful for my family because they celebrate Thanksgiving with me.”

Hanna Mae — “I am thankful for Serv-A-Burger. It has the BEST burgers. I am thankful for Michelle, Tyler, Paxton, Ruby and Hanna Mae because we are happy together. I am thankful for Ms. Ellingson, the best teacher ever. I am thankful for Peter’s Appliance Service, my papa, because he always plays fair in Monopoly. I am thankful for Lori Bilodeau, my nana, for always helping me feel better and also for making the best crisp.” — “Oscar

I am thankful for my family. I don’t know what I would do without them.”

Calem — “I love my school.”

Owen — “I am grateful for my mom because she is such a good cook and my dad is the one who makes all the money so we can eat food and I am grateful for my friends.”

Josie — “I am grateful for our community and Ms. McCallan and the school I go to and for Lake Pend Oreille and friends and family and plants and animals and for my teacher and my chickens.”

Kahlina — “I am grateful for Lake Pend Oreille and our community and our school and my friends and family and my teacher. I am so grateful. So grateful.”

Trace — “I am grateful for my family because they’re fun, loving and amazing. I am grateful for dogs and cats because I love to snuggle them. I am also grateful for food and water because they help you stay alive and food tastes great. I’m grateful for roller coasters because they’re so awesome. I am grateful for friends because they’re fun.”

Isabella — “I am thankful for: my family because my dad and my mom work very hard for us. They make money for us to play soccer, basketball, ski, school and music lessons. They are also helpful and supportive. Friends who are kind, loving and helpful. And for an awesome community. Our dogs, cats, chickens, and my bunny and a wonderful teacher. Plants, trees, flowers, bushes and nature and wild animals. Food, water, warm house, warm beds. The library and books.”

Avery — “I am grateful for all the people in the world what are so kind and have big hearts and are so generous. I am also grateful for supportive — “. Oh and also of course my teacher Ms. Ellingson and Ms. McCallan, and all the other people at my school.”

Polina — “I am grateful for friends and family because they help me in hard situations. I am grateful for plants and animals because without plants or animals we would not have food or oxygen. I am grateful to have a dog because dogs are my favorite animals.”

Jerusalem — “I am grateful for my family and my school and my friends and my teacher and my animals. I am grateful for my mom for braiding my hair, reading books to me and making my lunches and dinners. I am grateful for my sister for playing with me and being for being a really kind sister. I am grateful for my brother when he lets me play basketball in his room. I am grateful for my dad for being a kind peacemaker and for being helpful. I am grateful for my mom for snuggling with me in the nighttime and being so kind and a great mom. I am grateful for the Cox family. I am grateful for the Manning family and the Samuels family and I am grateful for all of my friends. I am grateful for my parents buying my clothes and I am thankful for clean water.”

Grade 5

Hazel — “I am thankful for: cats, days of no school, my best friends and art and paper.”

Jasper — “I am grateful for my friends and family.”

Charlie — “I am thankful for: hot springs, snow, my home, my friends and family, internet, pencils and paper for drawing, birds and wolves, and my home in Idaho.”

Hana — “I’m thankful for: drawing, internet, skiing, snow, my home, my friends and family, wildlife, birds, pencil and paper, food and life.”

Brady — “I’m thankful for my family and I am thankful for food.”

Callahan — “I am thankful for a good family’s food, fishing and soccer.”

Madisen — “I am thankful for my family, my friends, and my teacher. I am thankful for chocolate.”

Camille — “I am thankful for all the food of Thanksgiving, privileges and parents.”

Hope — “I am grateful for food! I am grateful for air and water.”

Brogan — “I am grateful for people who care about nature and animals, like the last remaining herd of caribou in Idaho and big brook trout. I am thankful for our lakes that are so fun to explore.”

Hannah — “I am thankful for skiing and food and a house. I am so thankful for my life.”

Grade 6

Isadora — “I am grateful for the nursery at Sandpoint Waldorf School, and I am grateful for my family who works hard to get me to school on time and I am very grateful for my great teacher.”

Aiden — “I am grateful for my great Gam and Gamps Pitilow and their oreos and my brother of course along with my dog Hazel.”

Max — “I am grateful for my family, friends, dog, skiing and swimming.”

Ethan — “I’m grateful for family, friends, food and fresh air.”

Ivy — “I am thankful our school. I am also very thankful for our community and all of its residents.”

Isabelle — “I’m grateful for family and friends.”

Ava — “I am so grateful to go to this amazing school and learn so many great things.”

Mark — “I’m grateful for the trees, the plants, the food and family and friends.”

Grade 7

Ada — “I am thankful for my family.”

Briar — “I am thankful for everything that I have been given in this life.”

Mya — “I am thankful for my family, cousins, uncles, grandpas, grandmas, and all, my dogs Mazie and Owen, the house and food I am lucky to have, the teachers who teach me everyday lessons and life lessons. I am thankful for the adorable little town I live in, and the friends who make me laugh. Most of all, I am thankful for the people who love me and care for me, as I do to them..”

Ani — “I am thankful for my parents, and how hard they work for me and my brother. I am thankful for my house, my teacher Ms. Shaffer, and I am thankful for my dog and my friends.”

Katya — “I am thankful for my family and my friends. I am thankful for good food and a house to sleep in.”

Kasten — “I am thankful for: my dogs, family, soccer, school, cross-country, my house, friends, and food.”

Ethan — “I am thankful for my family, my friends, my pets, my school, my teachers and my home.”

Kaiya — “I am thankful for my amazing family and friends. I am also thankful for the clean air I breathe, the good food I eat and the clean water I drink. I am thankful for the big amazing world I live in.”

Neva — “I am thankful for: my teacher, the earth, my family, crystal clear water and my class.”

Berkeley — “I am thankful for a roof over my head, a wonderful education and a loving family that cares for me and my sisters.”

Terra — “I am thankful for: my family, my friends, food, water, my home, all my animals, and all my teachers.”

Katelyn — “I’m grateful for my family, my friends, my teacher, my animals, my house, my class, food, water, air, happiness, weather, heat and more.”

Grace — “I am thankful for: my family, including my dog, water, fire, wind and earth, my school, class and teacher, food, Sandpoint, Idaho, my boat, the seasons.”

Grade 8

Boston — “I am thankful for my family and friends and the beautiful place where I live.”

Jarrah — “I am thankful for friends, family and sports. Also I am thankful for food because I would not live without it.”

Owen — “This year I am thankful for friends, family and a good education.”

Lark — “This Thanksgiving, I am so grateful for my family. My sister who’s been at college is coming home. My dad who’s been away working will be back too! It’s just been me and my amazing mom (and our dog and cats). I’m so excited to be all together again.”

Aiden — “I am thankful for a good teacher and having nice classmates. I am thankful for a nice life.”

Tivon — “I am grateful for family, friends, family, my well-being, my teacher, school, the wonderful place I am living and Thanksgiving.”

AJ — “This year I am thankful for my coaches that are making me better at athletics.”

Priya — “I am so thankful for my family and friends and the wonderful, forgiving community I live in. I am grateful to be alive because everything could change in an instant. I am also so grateful that I have such amazing classmates and such an awesome teacher.”