Seventh grade students at Fond du Lac’s Sabish Middle School are the winners of a national contest and $10,000 first place prize for their efforts to help other less fortunate children in the community. The students received the most votes in the My Giving Story contest as part of the Giving Tuesday campaign. Sabish social studies teacher Gina Rieder says all 142 seventh graders at the school are Sabish Elves, raised money to buy Christmas presents for kindergarten students who live in poverty. The students write letters to local businesses, clubs and residents asking for donations. Dressed as elves they Skype the kindergarten classes asking students what they need and want. Lauren Grier and Gavin Evans say it’s a great feeling to help kids who may otherwise not be getting many presents for Christmas. After school students shop for presents at Walmart and Shopko and deliver the presents to the elementary schools as a surprise before the Christmas break. Since its inception five years ago, 800 students have helped raise almost $14,000 for Christmas presents. Rieder says it’s a lesson in giving and has changed students’ lives.
