It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
“It’s not the mall,” exclaims 3rd grade student Keana Cooper enthusiastically when asked what she likes about Perkins’ annual Holiday Shop. “Everything is right here, so I don’t have to walk all around looking for presents.”
Gabi Evans-Wilkins, a 5th grade student, shares the excitement of her 3rd grade friend by saying that her favorite part of the Holiday Shop is “shopping and spreading joy.” Spreading joy is something that is essential within the school, and nobody does a better job of that than the hard working volunteers that make up the Perkins PTA.
The Perkins PTA has done it again! Year after year, they go around the town shopping for items to use in the Holiday Shop. Not only do they shop, but they request for donations as well, this year’s included backpacks from Target, alongside hats and gloves from Wal-Mart. The faces of the children when they walk into the library, which is remodeled to resemble a market, are nothing short of spectacular. Their eyes are filled with amazement as they shop for their families before the frantic days leading up to Christmas.
“It’s really touching to see them shopping,” notes Beth Bright, a volunteer who has had two children come through Perkins, and has twins currently in 3rd grade. “They get a chance to make a list (and check it twice) while shopping for their families, which is really great.” Beth is only one of many parent volunteers that help with the Holiday Shop. None of this would be possible without their efforts each year. Julie Lundy, whose own children also attend Perkins, looks forward to this even every year reminiscing joyfully about past Holiday Shops stating that it is “one of the neatest things to volunteer for at Perkins.” Students are told to bring money from home to purchase items at the shop, however not every student is able to do so. 
But, Perkins leaves no stone unturned, hence “holiday bucks” that are given to any student who does not bring any money of their own. This way every student in the school will get the opportunity to shop and buy something.
Perhaps, the most intriguing and wonderful aspect of the Holiday Shop is seeing students understand the true meaning of Christmas: to give and help others. “I love helping the kindergarteners,” says 5th grader Ben Baruthio as he helps Jesus Martinez, a kindergartener, tally up his money totals. “I’m showing him how to shop and use his money. I also tell him what looks good and bad.” The vast majority of students do not even think of buying themselves something, considering they all have lists with the names of relatives, or family members. Siblings’ shopping for each other is another common sight at the Holiday Shop. 
When asked whom he was buying his presents for, Inari Rivera, a 3rd grade student, states it is for his younger sister Jasmin, who is in kindergarten. Surely enough, when asked whom she is buying presents for, Jasmin responds by naming off Inari, and then her parents.
A huge thanks is in order for the PTA, because without them none of this would even be considered, let alone possible. They carried the boxes full of items to buy down two flights of stairs and through two hallways, set up all the items on the tables and rearranged the library Thursday morning before school, and them came to help students shop, add up totals, and manage the cash box. Overall, the Perkins PTA is absolutely outstanding when it comes to spreading holiday cheer and getting the students excited about the break (which they already were, but a few presents and some sugar won’t hurt). 
Some might even confuse the abbreviation of PTA as meaning “Perkins Team of Awesomeness” if they were to see all of their hard work, but most people know its true meaning. However, after this year, the two meanings may become interchangeable, because our PTA is truly an awesome team! 
