Cal High leadership students delivered nearly 500 toys to Michelle Obama Elementary School (MOES) in Richmond on Dec. 8 as part of its annual holiday toy drive with Cal’s sister school.
The goal for the annual toy drive involves collecting one toy for every kindergarten through sixth grade Michelle Obama student to help make the holiday season brighter.
“Whenever the kids leave the school after sixth grade, they always say their favorite memory at MOES is when Cal High came,” leadership teacher Troy Bristol said.
The first step in making sure MOES students’ holiday dreams come true is for students across campus to collect toys for leadership students to deliver. The goal of 450 toys was surpassed this year as the generosity of Cal High students was displayed in full effect, donating close to 500 toys.
Bristol said the generosity of Cal’s students, teachers and parents ensured that the leadership program collected enough toys to deliver to every student.
Leadership students that were involved with the toy drive were assigned to different classrooms, three of them to each class. They not only delivered toys to the kids for the holidays, but they played games and other activities. At the end of the day, Cal students brought cookies for the students to decorate festively as well.
While making Michelle Obama’s student day, they had fun delivering the toys.
“It was so fun,” sophomore leadership student Arthi Konduro said. “The kids were so cute and I loved playing with them and giving them toys.”
Leadership students not only brought toys, but they brought their energy and Christmas spirit to MOES.
“The best part about it is watching their kids and the leadership kids interact with each other,” Bristol said. “[MOES] students get such a kick out of it.
The toy drive is not only about connecting with the sister school, but with the entirety of the Richmond community. Cal High is privileged to have the resources to help another school that may be struggling socio-economically.
Leadership students said they get the opportunity to connect with other people in a way that they’re not used to connecting with people on campus, as they really put forth their best effort into helping another community.
“We have the opportunities to have more than we should, and we should use that to give to others,” leadership president Madden Le Bouder said. “In the end, everything worked out and I’m really proud of what we put together.”
Next semester, the leadership students are going to be back at MOES for a field day to build more of a connection with the students to create an even better bond with the students at MOES.
