Gallery • 41 Photos

Brayden Sloss

Members of the Tyrone National Honor Society (NHS) spent time in December spreading Christmas cheer by hosting their first-ever holiday event and by volunteering for Toys for Tots.

On December 20th NHS hosted TAES students for games and crafts with the members of NHS, as well as an opportunity to meet Santa.

Being the first year for the event, the organizers were not sure how many students would attend, but according to NHS advisor Amanda Burega attendance was at least 75 to 100 students.

“It was great to see the families of the community gather to celebrate the holiday season. Hearing the children’s laughter and seeing all the smiles on their faces made the event worthwhile,” said Burega.

At the event, students could visit nine different holiday-themed stations run by members of the NHS.

The stations included a snowman ball toss game, Christmas card making, an antler ring toss game, ornament making, stocking decorating, pictures with Santa, a Christmas coloring contest, a making Santa’s beard game, and a hot chocolate station.

One of the most popular activities at the event was the opportunity for kids to meet and share their Christmas wishes with Santa.

To view the photos with Santa, click the slideshow below (Note: because it contains more than 50 photos, the slideshow may not load, especially on mobile devices. Click the link below the slideshow to view the photos on Google Photos in a new browser).

Gallery • 100 Photos

Parents can download a print-quality version of the photos with Santa by clicking the link below:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/37bTBk9ejFHar7j89 

The event was free to the community but with the help of donations and a basket raffle, NHS was able to make a profit to split between a local charity and the club’s funds.

With the money raised, the officers of NHS hope to plan more community events and volunteer for more local organizations in the future.

Toys for Tots

On December 12th, thirty NHS members volunteered their time with the Toys-For-Tots program. Run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve, Toys for Tots distribute toys to children whose parents cannot afford gifts for Christmas each year.

The NHS students traveled to the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center to work alongside the directors of Centre County Toys-For-Tots to unload trucks and sort toys into categories and age groups.

Tyrone’s help made it easier for the organization to distribute toys to the remaining families and take the remaining toys to their storage unit.

“It was a great experience to feel like we were giving back to the community,” said senior Kenny Sorokie.

Members of the National Honor Society were happy they were able to volunteer their time to the community and put on a Christmas event to spread Christmas cheer within the community.

As the school year progresses, NHS hopes to continue to support Tyrone and neighboring communities through volunteer work and community events.