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Dec 19

Weekly Media Roundup: December 20, 2017

Obama Dons Santa Hat, Brings Holiday Cheer to DC Kids (CNN, District of Columbia) 

Afterschool students from the Boys & Girls Club of D.C. celebrated the holidays with a special visitor last week – former President Barack Obama. After arriving in a Santa hat with a sack over his shoulder, Obama handed out gifts and took photos with about 50 local children, according to CNN. “There’s no better time than the holiday season to reach out and give back to our communities,” Obama tweeted about his visit.   

Casper Elementary Students Decorate Christmas Trees for Families Who Can’t Afford Their Own (Casper Star-Tribune, Wyoming) 

Cottonwood Elementary School students in the Casper Family YMCA afterschool program are getting into the holiday spirit and learning about the importance of giving back through a special project. Students have decorated eight Christmas trees to give to families who could not afford their own. “They know that they’re doing this for somebody else,” third-grade teacher Maureen Fretland told the Casper Star-Tribune. “That’s a big thing for me, is to let them know that this is a way they can give to someone else who doesn’t have their own.” Community members also donated gifts that will accompany the trees when they arrive at their new homes. 

Kids Provide Goody Bags for Police Officers (Florence Times Daily, Alabama)  

Students ages 6 to 15 showed their appreciation for Sheffield police officers last week by handing out goody bags that the officers can take with them on patrols. The bags include a variety of snacks and personalized notes from some 60 children in the Ekklesia Pre-School and Child Development Center afterschool program. Director Kateina Fitzgerald said giving back to the police force is important to do, especially during the holiday season. “They serve us on a daily basis,” she told the Florence Times Daily. “When we think about giving, we think of family and friends, but our giving should be an extension to all of those who have done so many wonderful things for our youth throughout the year.”