What started in 2001 as, “Let’s do something different for Christmas!” the Arapahoe High School Toy Drive makes Christmas brighter for students at Field Elementary School every year.

This holiday season, 66 students from Arapahoe High School snuck in the back door of the Field gymnasium just after lunch with bags of gloves and hats to go with the the dozens of gifts already waiting for the elementary students. As kids from each grade were called into the small gym, they were greeted with Christmas carols from the Arapahoe Singers and a jovial Santa Claus (AHS junior Lucas Mederos) on stage - ready to give each of them a brightly wrapped present. The gym filled with excitement as the toys were quickly unwrapped and enjoyed. Along with their gift, each student received a hat and gloves. Each classroom was also gifted a ‘teacher’s box,’ filled with pencils, paper, glue sticks, chalk, games and puzzles.

Through the years, the Warriors’ toy drive has collected and shared more than 16,000 toys and benefited 6,876 students in schools throughout Denver and the Denver Indian Center (DIC). This year, Field received over 1,000 gifts and the DIC received 15 large bags of gifts, hats and gloves.

Karen and Dirschl Lacy were on hand to watch the festivities. Karen was one of the four originators of the Toy Drive at Arapahoe in 2001 and marveled at how easily the high school students interacted with the younger kids, making everyone feel like family. She recalled that first year and how she never imagined that “adopting a school for Christmas” would turn into the ongoing act of Christmas spirit and generosity she was watching at Field well over a decade later.

Adrianna M. checks out her new toy while AHS students Grace C. and Emma S. (Santa hat) share the moment.

Emma Schlichting, an AHS junior, was certainly feeling the Christmas spirit as she helped with the festivities. “Honestly, this event makes me over the moon happy! I’m so passionate about being able to give and help others, and I can honestly say giving is such a better feeling than receiving. I love how our entire school is into this - we collected money, went to WalMart to buy toys, then we sorted them by age and gender and got everyone together to wrap them - and kept it a secret so these kids could be surprised. It has been the highlight of my holiday season - and I can’t wait to do this again next Christmas!!!”

Jade D., 5th grade, loves the new teddy bear she received from the AHS Toy Drive.

Featured Image: Emily B., Arielle M., Olivar C., Jake T., David H. wait their turn as Zahraa A. receives her present from Santa (AHS junior Lucas M.) during the AHS Toy Drive.