December 22, 2022

Celebrating the holiday season is still a thrill for Fairview Park residents, young and old.

Students at Gilles-Sweet Elementary spent time this holiday season creating gifts, cards, and special memories for residents of O’Neill Healthcare in Fairview Park. 

“Kids don’t always know that these types of places are in their community,” Meredith Schulte, a counselor at Gilles-Sweet explained. “We talked about how a lot of the people at O’Neill Healthcare are grandparents or great-grandparents. Many of them have families that come visit them, but some of them don’t. These projects give our students the opportunity to brighten someone’s day.”

All 529 students at the building participated in this service learning project through their PRIDE house. Students in grades one through three created snowflake ornaments and decorations. Fourth and fifth-grade students made packets of Snowman Soup - hot chocolate with a candy cane stirrer. Every student also made a holiday card delivered to O’Neill Healthcare residents.

“I had one little boy from Ms. Eppler’s PRIDE house write, ‘Merry Christmas. We wanted you to know that you are loved,’ Associate Principal Shanna Kovi expressed. “It was really sweet.”

On Dec. 16, approximately ten fourth and fifth-grade students dropped off the gifts at O’Neill Healthcare. These first-semester student council representatives sang carols and met a few of the O’Neill residents.

“With this service project, we started with a lesson on giving,” Schulte said. “We talked about the benefits of giving to others. We also talked about how some gifts that you give may not be things or items. It could be the gift of listening to somebody, playing with somebody, or teaching somebody else. It could be the gift of time.”

“This is an opportunity for our students to have meaningful involvement with the community,” Principal Matt Krivak said. “We want to start to develop that sense of social responsibility and citizenship.”

PHOTO CAPTION: Holiday greeting cards created by Gilles-Sweet students as part of their service project.