Families in need receive pajamas, books for Christmas

 

Sugar plum fairies may be dancing in the heads of some little girls this holiday season. But others’ Christmas wish is simply for a pair of new pajamas. Students at Martin Walker Elementary decided to fulfill those Christmas dreams.

 

First grade teacher Caitlyn McGath was checking her e-mail when she happened upon a message that she just couldn’t delete. Scholastic Reading Club was letting teachers know about its service project, The Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive. McGath was on board right away and challenged her teammates to join the cause too. In less than 24 hours, the first grade team had sent home letters to their students’ families asking them to make a difference in the world. Other teachers across the campus joined the effort and the kindness multiplied with students like Shawn Dukas.

 

“I brought pajamas because I heard about it and I thought, let’s just do it,” the wistful first grader said.

 

The Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive collects brand new pajamas to disperse across the country to children and adults living in group homes, shelters, foster care, and orphanages. Scholastic will donate two books to go with each pair of pajamas donated. So not only are the students helping another child stay warm, but students like Jaylene Watt are unknowingly helping to spread literacy in the world.

 

“I brought pajamas because I want someone that is cold to be warm,” Watt said.

 

First graders at Martin Walker collected 30 pairs of pajamas for the Pajama Project. Since 2009, nearly 350,000 pairs of new pajamas have been donated. Scholastic Reading Club has in turn donated nearly 700,000 books to the non-profit organization, Pajama Program.

 

“As a group of teachers, we really wanted to encourage our students to give in a time that they usually only think about what they want to receive,” McGath said.