FROM STAFF REPORTS

Dana Pate’s fourth-grade students at Oak Mountain Intermediate School spread some holiday cheer this year by deciding, as a class, to help five local children that are less fortunate have a special Christmas.

The project started in early November when groups of five or six students got together and formed teams.

Each team was responsible for creating ways to earn money in order to buy Christmas gifts for the angel tree children adopted from a local organization.

Some of the creative ways they earned money were raking leaves, doing household chores and one group even did babysitting for Pate’s three children.

The class earned a total of $1,000, and each team went shopping for the gifts. Each child created a power point presentation for a classroom grade to document all they did to raise the money.

A angel tree quilt was made by a parent and is a compilation of illustrations done by the kids that shows the jobs they completed to earn their money. The quilt is designed with angels and Christmas tree templates, and will be displayed in Pate’s classroom as a reminder of their experience.

“This project was an amazing experience for the kids to be a part of and I am truly proud of their philanthropy,” Pate said