MADISON – Students in Madison have mastered one lesson that many adults never tried.

Boys, girls and teenagers are ‘living’ the belief that ‘giving is better than receiving.’

The “Madison City Schools: A Culture of Giving” video shows a collection of the numerous outreach efforts by students on the various campuses of Madison Schools, Public Relations Manager John Peck said. To view the video, visit https://youtu.be/gG_NMghvdn4.

At Bob Jones High School, the Spanish Club fulfilled its tradition of gathering Christmas gifts for poor children who live in Guatemala. The students filled a van with toys, dolls, Teddy bears and games for the children.

At James Clemens High School, the Jets Theatre group led a toy drive for gifts for students in need at Columbia Elementary School. Jets Theatre students also coordinated “Operation Warm” to collect coats and winter apparel and give advance publicity for their 2018 spring musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

Madison Elementary School also collected gifts for needy children.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. is a frequent beneficiary for fundraisers in Madison Schools. From Columbia Elementary School, Principal Jamie Hill and faculty members entered the Memphis Marathon to help St. Jude. The hospital holds a heartfelt connection to Madison because students for all MCS campuses have received treatment there.

At Liberty Middle School, baseball players held their annual toy drive for needy children. The student body also donated money for the “Giving Tree,” which benefits Liberty students who might not receive gifts. The Christmas outreach for Fort Hood, Texas will supply presents to children of moms and dads in the military.

Food drives translate into a hot meal for an in-need family. MCS groups that conducted food drives include the Student Government Association at Discovery Middle School, Horizon Elementary School and Madison Elementary School for Inside-Out Ministries.

At Heritage Elementary School, students and teachers donated ‘happy’ gifts, comfy throws, mittens and personal care necessities for residents in local nursing homes.

“Christmas Angels’ at Horizon stuffed Santa stockings full of surprises and wrapped stacks of presents for others. Earlier this fall, Horizon students collected paper, composition notebooks, pens, pencils and other school supplies in their “Hearts for Houston” drive to help Texas students after Hurricane Harvey. Madison Elementary School chipped in coins also for a contribution to hurricane victims.

Also in hurricane relief, Mill Creek Elementary School collected more than $6,000 to help families devastated by the storm. For Christmas, Mill Creek donated ‘onesies’ and other clothing for patients in Huntsville Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and collected $2,000 to battle juvenile arthritis.

At Discovery Middle School, members of Junior Student 2 Student gathered supplies for deployed military personnel.

Students at Rainbow Elementary School gave bottled water and everyday necessities for homeless individuals. West Madison Elementary School’s Good News Clubs held a cereal drive. For the “Mitten Tree,” West Madison students donated this winter apparel, and they collected pet food for shelter dogs and cats.

Staff members and employees at MCS Central Office contributed numerous gift bags stuffed with Christmas surprises. Among the presents, boys’ and girls’ bicycles, with helmets, of course, surely will brighten Christmas morning for some unsuspecting, deserving children.