By Eileen Oldfield Staff Writer
Hillsborough High School is miles away from the North Pole, but that didn’t stop the juniors in Alysia Puma’s honors English class from turning their class into an extension of Santa’s workshop.
The students responded to “Dear Santa” letters from students at Green Street Elementary School in Phillipsburg last week, as part of a project focused on both the elementary and the high-school students’ writing skills.
And, according to students in the class, being Santa isn’t always easy.
”I find it’s really hard to write this letter and tell him what he needs to do better,” said Julieanna LoBiodio. “I don’t want to be too hard and abuse my power as Santa.”
The project started four years ago, when Sue Lebo, an aide in a self-contained classroom at the school and high school vice principal Ted Lebo’s wife asked if high school students could respond to Dear Santa letters her class wrote in order to practice writing skills.
While the students in Ms. Lebo’s class are in fifth grade, many read on a first- or second-grade level, and come from low-income families.
”There is no comparison to any other writing assignment when it comes to this one,” said Trisha Stem, who teaches the students at the Phillipsburg school. “The students’ enthusiasm and excitement is unparalleled to anything else they have attempted to write this year. We actually had one student who was so excited that he was shaking while he was writing his letter.”
During the assignment, the Hillsborough students read the letters to Santa, consider what components they’ll respond to, and consider academic and behavioral areas that the elementary students need to improve when writing the response.
”It allows them to adopt the voice of Santa for students that are mature, but not academic,” said Ms. Puma. “I think there are a few moments of ‘are you kidding?’ It’s not initially an academic assignment, it’s more as play.
”I think it turns into a critical thinking exercise once they process all the variables,” she added. “Students can come from broken, impoverished, or foster homes. They’re academically limited, yet they have some really simple desires. Where do you start? How do I take those all into consideration in a way that provides hope but is realistic?”
During the junior honors class, students concentrated on voice and composition, which the Santa project helps enforce.
”It’s good for our kids, too,” said Mr. Lebo. “In this class, they have to consider their audience and voice. Even though these kids are in the fifth grade, many of the children come from impoverished families. They cannot respond that they’ll get what they want because that may not happen.”
The project has evolved from a simple response letter after students in Ms. Puma’s class purchased books, games, and puzzles for the elementary school students approximately two years ago.
This year, the high school students will send gifts with their letter, Ms. Puma said.
Many students enjoy the project and the magic of being Santa, though some admitted that writing the letters can be challenging.
”We have to write in a different personality,” said Jesse Holloway. “Usually, we’re writing as ourselves; this time, we’re writing as someone else.”
The gift requests, which included books and pencils, are often humbling for both students and administrators, according to Mr. Lebo.
”They’re very simple requests,” said Mr. Lebo. “Nobody wants a 52-inch flat screen TV. One kid wants two pencils, one wanted new clothes because he’d never had a new set of clothes. Seeing the simplicity of the requests is heartbreaking.”
Though Ms. Puma’s students can’t grant all the kids’ wishes, they hope the kids appreciate the letters.
”It’s what the season’s really about: spreading joy and happiness,” said Mike Yu. “Hopefully, he’ll still believe in magic, and we’ll make his holiday season that much better.”
