Latosha Simmons knew her family would be getting the gifts that morning, but her three children, J’Michael, J’Sohn and Laye Lese, did not. The presents were set atop a table. Upon seeing the table, the boys’ faces lit up, and the negotiation for who would get what and when they would get to open the presents began.

J’Sohn, a first grader, said he was excited about the number of presents sitting on the table.

“[I smiled] because I got a whole bunch of presents,” J’Sohn said.

Meanwhile, J’Michael, a fourth grader, said the gifts would make the holidays more enjoyable.

“[The gifts means] a happy Christmas,” J’Michael said.

The presents came from the Holiday Adoption program, which, as reported in the Lance issue 4, serves 140 families in the district. Of the 140, 40 come from Westgate Elementary School according to Westgate counselor Mary Jo Stegman. The Simmons family is one of those 40.

The family picked up the gifts Thursday, Dec. 19. Latosha was thankful to the people involved in bringing the gifts. For her, the gifts provided financial help on top of a happy holiday.

“[The gifts are] a relief,” Latosha said. “It’s a relief that they have something. It means a lot.”

The presents given included a number of things for Latosha, in addition to the three children. She was grateful for the gifts, which she was not expecting. For her, receiving something on Christmas is out of the norm.

“I’m used to not getting anything,” Latosha said. “That’s a surprise.”

This family’s experience with the Holiday Adoption program is just one of the 140. Stegman said other families did not have the transportation to pick up their gifts. Stegman and district social worker Jessica Lowe delivered the presents to those families.

With having to coordinate the delivery of the gifts for Westgate, Stegman was impressed by the high school’s ability to give to each of the Westside elementary schools.

“It is amazing what the high school sends over,” Stegman said. “I can’t imagine what it looks like over there, because I know you guys do all 10 of our elementary schools. So I can’t imagine, because I’m just getting one of the 10, and it’s just overwhelming the amount of gifts that are going to come in today.”

Although the holiday season is over, and the next is now about a year away, Westside students who are fortunate enough to be on the giving side can remember the family’s story of receiving, and help fuel the giving to the elementary schools next year.

As her children were discussing who gets what presents, the mother of the family in this story said that her kids “are good at sharing.” In a community where the high school was  once dubbed “Hollywood High,” there is growing need, and sharing, through programs like the Holiday Adoption, can bring necessary relief and added joy to a family.