Students Step in as Santa for Local Head Start

Students Step in as Santa for Local Head Start

Josh Beh/ The Nittany News

Roughly 40 children, ages 3-5, in the Dunmore Head Start Program will be receiving gifts from their wish lists from Santa this Christmas.

Children will receive wrapped gifts picked out especially for them due to the generosity of the students, faculty, and staff at Penn State Worthington Scranton. This community outreach program not only benefits the children but also helps college students get more involved in their community.

The Student Activities Fund has been organizing this program for the past 5 years. “It really melts my heart to see the students come together for such a good cause, especially during the hectic end of the semester when I know they are extremely busy with school work and the stress of finals,” said Julie Gilpatrick, Administrative Support Assistant in the Student Programs and Services Department, as she sat in her office Thursday afternoon surrounded by gift bags and decoratively wrapped boxes.

The children, who filled out ornaments with their names and a few gift items they hope to get for Christmas, will receive gifts from students, faculty and staff who act as “Santa” right in time for the  holiday.  Student-athletes participated as well as coaches and staff members who "adopted" children for the holiday.  Cheerleaders, softball, soccer and baseball players and both basketball teams each gave a special gift to a child from the program in hopes of spreading holiday cheer.