Students, staff donate in Operation Happiness

Mira Costa’s Associated Student Body held its annual Operation Happiness event from Nov. 29 to Wednesday, featuring four separate programs all focused on helping others in the community throughout the holiday season.

Each homeroom class had the option to take part in Adopt-A-Family, which provided Christmas gifts for an entire family in need.  Classrooms also participated in Angel Tree, which provided pajamas and a toy for a child, and the Toys for Kids drive, which  purchased individual toys for a child in need.

“We have a lot of resources and capabilities in our town, but the more we can spread [some of these resources] to others, the better we are as citizens,” Costa Principal Dr. Ben Dale said.

Click here to check out photos from the event

Meanwhile, ASB hosted the canned food drive for the Salvation Army from Nov. 29 to Wednesday at Costa. Students in each homeroom class provided canned goods for the homeless. 

“We delivered boxes to each homeroom for students to donate as many or as few cans as they please,” Associative Student Body member senior Audrey Ahrens said.  “The canned food drive made it efficient for any student to give back.”

ASB hopes to collect more than the 8,000 cans collected last year, ASB President senior Duke Mahr said. Through the Adopt-A-Family program, Costa will be donating to families.

“This whole event brings a new perspective to the students because not everyone is as fortunate as us,” Ahrens said.  “I think it’s a good way for students to get involved and see how simply donating a can or a toy can make someone’s day”

Click here to see the event featured in the New York Times

For Adopt-A-Family, biology and chemistry teacher Teresa Nielsen collected approximately $1,500 throughout all of her class periods, instead of solely through her homeroom class like many other teachers. She then had all of her students meet at Target on Monday to shop for the families based on what the families submitted on their wish lists to the school.

“I try to take advantage of the opportunity to provide for other families; however, I definitely wish that the event was expanded among more teachers,” Nielsen said. 

Operation Happiness has been a success in past school years and this year, ASB hopes to get even more participation, Ahrens said.

“Giving service has to be a part of your citizenship,” Dale said.  “Operation Happiness definitely puts that in practice. It teaches that we have to get outside ourselves [because] there’s a bigger world out there.”

ASB members package Salvation Army boxes with donated toys.

http://lavistamedia.tumblr.com/post/154430238575/asb-member-and-sophomore-dani-arensdorf-tapes-a