Star Light Star Bright

For more than a decade, Porterville High School’s Associated Student Body class has been unselfishly thinking of others during the holidays as they spearhead a program that encourages PHS students to buy gifts for less-fortunate children through the “Adopt a Star” program.

“This is a community service event that our student council puts on yearly to help less fortunate children receive presents for Christmas,” said Makayla Reed, PHS Student Council.

“These children write down a few items they would like, and those items are [written] on stars with the child’s name and age. High school students then choose a star and buy the children some of the presents they wish for.”

The wishes are not elaborate. Several stars had only “Barbie” as the gift of choice. Another star had two requests: “Hairclips” and “Shoes.”

“It’s sad too,” ASB Treasurer and program co-chair Sadie Cotten said. “Most of the kids ask for simple things like underwear or socks. Things that other kids would not ask for at Christmas. Things other kids take for granted.”

The recipients, determined through a survey sent to elementary schools in the Porterville Unified School District, are allowed to ask for three things.

Once a list is compiled, the school, first name, age, sizes and requests of each child are placed on individual paper stars that are taped to windows throughout the school.

Every student at Porterville High School is then encouraged to adopt a star and buy a gift for a child.

“This says a lot about the [PHS students]. They are not forced to do this. We ask every year and they are always happy to do it,” said ASB Advisor Sara Herrera. “It is an amazing outreach for the community. The kids here read the stars and realize this is real — there are kids in their own community who don’t have anything. Kids who ask for food or a present for a younger sibling or for a baby in the family. This is an amazing program and the students here are dedicated to it. It’s quite touching.”

Any stars not adopted by students are picked up by the ASB club, an approximate 40 students, to make certain that no child is left behind.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to help kids not that fortunate,” said PHS Junior Hannah Emerson as she wrapped a miniature doll and house set for a child and then stopped to pick up a binder and pencils. “A lot of kids don’t even ask for toys or clothes but for school supplies — binders and pencils. What kid asks for that? They need to have a real Christmas first and this is a nice experience. It’s fun to help out.”

With more than 1,000 items collected — two to three per child — the ASB class has been busy wrapping toys, clothing and other items for the children. The gifts are brought unwrapped to the ASB room to make certain that they are not inappropriate gifts, said Bailey Volaski, ASB Secretary and co-chair of the program.

“Last year we made 900 stars,” Volaski said. “Last year we were asked to [spearhead] this and we had so much fun knowing we were helping, we decided to do it again.”

The result has once again been amazing, she said, with cabinets and desks in the room piled high with clothing and toys — Barbies, baby dolls and action figures, sweaters, mittens, shoes and socks, cars, trucks, footballs and soccer balls — to help make a child’s Christmas a little brighter.

Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.