L. SAUCON TWP., Pa. – It’s the final countdown to Christmas and that means the clock is ticking to secure last minute gifts and goodies.
A Lehigh County based elementary school is giving back to its students this season. Saucon Valley Elementary School has created a holiday shop, with a twist.
Inside the school, students Yaz and Owen are taking their shopping skills to the next level.
“Just want to surprise our parents, so the school made up this the holiday shop,” said Yaz.
“It feels nice because your family’s always getting you stuff, so you just want to give them something back,” Owen added.
Except in this store, there’s no cash needed.
“We have little ‘PAW’ passes,” said Yaz.
It’s a currency the school rewards its students with, to put towards its very own “holiday shop”.
That is, when the students display positive behavior, to land them on the nice list.
“For being respectful, responsible and safe,” said Owen.
Students Charlotte and Lizzy said there is an endless supply of festive finds to take home and stash under the Christmas tree.
“There’s a bunch of stuff we can get,” said Charlotte.
“Something for my brother and my mother and our friends and sometimes for ourselves,” said Lizzy. “And they wrap it for us.”
Gifts are donated by friendly elves in the school’s staff and community and planning starts early.
“We start in the spring, asking for donations all the way up until this week,” said Samantha Faulkner, a special education teacher at Saucon Valley Elementary School. “We really are pleasantly surprised with how many donations we get from our school community.”
It’s all to ensure that every student gets to fall in love with the spirit of the holiday season.
“It was just really, really important to me that all students had the opportunity to be able to use what they earn throughout the year, through their school wide, positive behavior support system, through their respect responsibility, their safety and their kindness” said Amy Braxmeier, principal at Saucon Valley Elementary School. “It’s just so overwhelmingly positive. I’m so excited by it.”
“It’s amazing,” said Lizzy.
“I love it,” said Charlotte.