Grants will help fund cultural programs.
By: Melissa Hayes
MONROE Woodland School students dressed in red and wearing Santa hats walked in and out of patients’ rooms in the general pediatric unit of St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick on Tuesday, handing out gifts and singing Christmas carols.
Patients and parents greeted the students with smiles as they received stuffed animals and coloring books. Some students stayed and read stories while others headed off to sing "Silent Night."
The trip was organized by two teachers to spread some holiday cheer. The 11 students who went on the trip fourth-graders Victoria Dini, Samantha Widmer, Jordan Jiminez and Emily Moyes, fifth-graders Joe Sapia, Nicole Lugo and Brianna Quinn, and sixth-graders Joseph Romanczuk, Jessica Cusanelli, Tracy Van Cleaf and Salvatore Filiano were recommended by their teachers to represent the school.
Jennifer Carollo and Danielle Kelton, the two fourth-grade teachers who organized the trip, said they put notices in teachers’ mailboxes asking for gift donations earlier in the month. They ended up with so many books, coloring books and stuffed animals that they had extras after students had visited all 25 children in the ward.
This is the second year a group of students from the school has visited the pediatric ward, located in the Women’s and Children’s Pavillion.
"I don’t think they realized what they’re walking into, and when they get here the compassion is just amazing," Ms. Kelton said of the students.
Joe and Jordan stood over the pile of gifts, deciding what to pick out for one of the young boys they were visiting with.
"Yo! Tarzan for our boy," Jordan enthusiastically said to Joe as the two grabbed the book and went running back to his hospital room.
All of the students were extremely energetic and excited to be spending an afternoon with the children in the hospital.
Victoria brought 30 small stuffed animals for the patients.
She said she wanted "to make their day happier and to bring them holiday cheer."
When the students had visited every child, Joe was still sticking his head into rooms saying one last "happy holiday" and handing out another book or two.
"He’s very cute," said Kristal Neal, child life director at the hospital. "He wants to go in like every room."
Joe, 10, said he was very happy that he was able to be a part of the trip.
"I wanted to give other people gifts and give other people a nice holiday," he said.
As the students and teachers walked back to the elevator, some of the parents and patients in rooms that they passed shouted "thank you!"
"Thank you very much," Ms. Neal said. "You gave the kids a great holiday."

