Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School’s annual Christmas program usually brings out large crowds from the community and this year, Rotary Club of St. Thomas and Peter Gruber International Academy’s Interact Club members distributing gifts from Santa also joined students.
The partnership between the two organizations has continued for the last three years, and according from Peter Gruber International Academy Interact Club advisor Elizabeth Elger, it has also started to pick up steam within the school and surrounding community. Called “Project Give,” the combined effort this year yielded $6,000 that went toward buying each student at Tuitt three to five items on their individual Santa lists.
Elger said several donors to the effort this year chipped in $1,000, including V.I. Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy head Michael Bornn, Rotary Sunrise and others.
“That got us about 50 percent of the way there, and for the rest we reached out to families and others in the community, and the response is always incredible,” Elger said. “It’s definitely gaining momentum, and every year people just want to give more and more.”
Elger said local businesses also stepped up to support the effort. Santa letters from students at Tuitt were collected before Thanksgiving and given to Kmart, which offered not only the Black Friday deals but also an additional discount for the toys.
Interact Club members then wrap each gift individually and try to make the entire experience as personal as possible for the students, Elger added.
Students were excited Thursday to receive the presents from Santa, and also excited to perform. Every year, Tuitt music director Kan Constantine-Gabriel tries to switch up the program to keep residents coming out and this time more instruments – from recorders to bells – were brought in.
“The students like to perform and this gives them the opportunity to do something outside of school work,” Constantine-Gabriel said. “Some students really excel in this arena and this gives them to chance to show off their talents.”
Constantine-Gabriel said the students start practicing for the concert in September.