MADISON – Showing admirable behavior, students, teachers and PTAs of Madison City Schools engage in Christmas giving — to others who may need material assistance or a sincere gesture of appreciation.

MCS Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols commended schools’ gift drives, fundraisers and angel trees that brighten the holiday for others. A districtwide cause, “Support Our Students,” was launched in 2020 to assist MCS students with everything from groceries to yearbooks. For information, visit madisoncity.k12.al.us/Page/6288 and “District Update 12/05/2023.”

James Clemens High School PTSA served a teachers’ Christmas luncheon from Olive Garden and Connie Churchill’s cupcakes. James Clemens Baseball started holiday giving at Thanksgiving by shopping for, boxing and delivering 25 Thanksgiving dinners for community families.

During Refuel Hour, James Clemens held a pep-rally fundraiser that netted about $2,600 for a food pantry. Students donated $1 (or more) to experience the Jets Pep Band and the choir, cheer and dance teams, musical chairs and ‘Ring Toss on Antlers’ of administrators.

At Bob Jones High School, baseball players donated money to buy Christmas gifts for two boys. Like several campuses, Bob Jones families ‘adopted’ other Patriots for the school’s own Angel Tree.

Bob Jones clubs decorated Christmas trees on their Tinsel Trail, allowing Patriots to contribute to Madison residents. The girls soccer team conducted a food drive for Manna House.

Discovery Middle School provided a lunch, described as “phenomenal,” to faculty and staff on Dec. 8. Drama students presented “Rudolph Jr., the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” true to the venerable television special.

Discovery PTA’s complete Italian buffet with spaghetti, fresh tossed salad, garlic bread and desserts generated smiling faces on Liberty Middle School teachers,. Gibson Orthodontics sponsored both a teacher breakfast from Chick-fil-A and the “Student of the Month” ceremony.

At Journey Middle School, Amy Eggart, Special Education Department Lead, organized a holiday celebration for paraprofessional staff members with delicious coffee and ‘plus-size’ cinnamon rolls. Administrators Dr. Treva Stewart, Gerald Franks and Tabitha Odom surprised teachers with a sweet/savory spread. Durham Orthodontics and Gibson Orthodontics donated gift cards to the staff.

To treat teachers and staff, Columbia Elementary School PTA brought refreshments not once but twice in December: a breakfast spread with biscuits, pastries, oranges, bananas and juices, along with a large table crammed with snack crackers, chips, any imaginable cookie and cupcakes.

Teachers at Heritage Elementary School devoted time to rehearse and perform with The Heritage Carolers. The jovial educators sang ‘good tidings of joy’ at nearby neighborhoods – Heritage Provence, Burgreen Farms, Heritage Plantation and Madison Landing. Second-grade families donated presents to an assisted living center. Heritage’s Angel Tree generated gifts for fellow families at the school.

Horizon Elementary School’s Holiday Market 2023 featured the Kindergarten Choir and “The Eagle Sing Choir,” while benefiting shoppers, community craftsman and numerous student entrepreneurs. Gibson Orthodontics sponsored the “Woot Woot Wagon” with breakfast treats and beverages. Student Council encouraged donations of non-perishable foods.

At Madison Elementary School, faculty and staff received a fantastic meal from Outback Steakhouse, thanks to their PTA on Dec. 15. PTA volunteers provided duty-free lunch for teachers. School leaders savored a hot chocolate bar.

On Dec. 14, kindergarten parents at Midtown Elementary School provided make-your-own trail mix, chocolate wafers and cookies to the faculty. The student body contributed many food items to benefit in-need families. Midtown PTA partnered with Jack’s to give breakfasts to school leaders.

For their cafeteria, Mill Creek Elementary School students, who were recognized for great character traits, decorated Christmas trees to symbolize this behavior. “Dinner at the Mill” for second-graders was a huge hit; Christina Smith – State Farm provided dessert.

Rainbow Elementary School PTA coordinated “The Giving Snowman” to support Rainbow families during the holiday season. Sixteen students and their siblings received Christmas gifts, based on wish lists from the children themselves. Their families appreciated gift cards.

In another form of giving, bands and choirs at Liberty, Discovery, Bob Jones and James Clemens presented Christmas concerts with traditional favorites and a few novelty tunes. After all, music is a universal gift for everyone.