'Season Of Giving And Heroes' At Cobb County School District

Press release from the Cobb County School District:

Dec. 17, 2020

Staff at Bryant Elementary School recently raised $500 to help buy a student a new wardrobe after his was burned in a fire. They also reached out to a church to get more support for the family following the fire in the child’s bedroom. Under normal circumstances, that would be a wonderful story that exemplifies Cobb educators' caring nature, but this is 2020 and so there is even more to the story. Not only did the staff at Bryant help the student following the fire, the staff came to the student’s rescue as soon as the fire started.

The fire broke out in the bedroom where the student was participating in a live digital learning session. His teachers were quick to respond and directed him to take his laptop and go outside to safety. The school was able to notify police and send an emergency crew to his house. The teachers stayed on the live video feed with the student throughout the experience. Afterward, Bryant’s social worker immediately reached out to the student’s mom to determine how they could help.

That is just one example of how our school community has looked out for families in need.

Families at Bryant’s sister school Timber Ridge Elementary also maintained their tradition this year of providing gifts for students in need at Bryant. Giving has become such a part of Timber Ridge’s holiday season that some families have continued the tradition even after their students have graduated to middle school.

In addition to the school families across Cobb who have donated gifts, Cobb Schools social workers have also worked with community organizations to bring holiday cheer to families in need. Beyond toys, the social workers have gathered coats from Operation Warmth, which provides brand-new winter coats to children in need across North America. With the help of Sprayberry High School JROTC students, Cobb's social workers also packed duffel bags with donated items from C&S Paving to help the county’s homeless students and their families. The bags included socks, underwear, t-shirts, throw blankets, toiletry items, detergent, plastic utensils, plastic and paper plates, sleeping bags, pillows, and more.

Although the students had to alter traditional holiday giving events, students atAllatoona High School were still able to give holiday cheer to students in need, albeit 2020 style.

Allatoona’s annual Shop with a Buc switched to a parade-type set up so families would not have to leave their vehicles for the event.

The upcoming parade includes a Chorus of students singing carols and each student in the parade was treated to hot cocoa and a bag full of goodies made by the Key Club and National Honor Society. They also received an ornament of their picture with Santa to hang on their tree as well. Read more about Allatoona’s holiday event here.

Wheeler High School students didn’t let the obstacles of 2020 stop them from hosting their Shop with a Wildcat event. About 175 Wheeler students volunteered for the event, which raised more than $6,000 and provided for 74 families from Wheeler feeder schools.

Down the road, 220 Pope High School students and 35 staff members raised more than $15,000 to continue the school’s annual Shop with a Greyhound. Thanks to the funds raised, the Pope community brightened the holidays for 150 students from Brumby Elementary School.

This press release was produced by the Cobb County School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.