Child to Child aids homeless kids

      Christensen Elementary pupils helped gather stuffed toys, crayons, notebooks, books, toothbrushes, soap and other items for the city's homeless children Dec. 12.
      "We tried to get them stuff they didn't have," said Jeremy Power, a fourth grader and student council board member. "Especially books, because when they get depressed and stuff like that they can use their imagination and stuff to feel better."
      The school's student council helped collect 4,300 books for the project. Of those, 3,000 books were given to the District F parent group's winter book drive.
      Christensen Elementary Principal Joan Gray instituted the drive, which she calls Child to Child, nine years ago, when she opened the school at 9001 Mariner Cove Drive. Gray has been teaching and administrating in the Clark County School District for more than two decades.
      For two weeks during this year's drive, children brought items to donate to the district's homeless children. Pupils watched videos about the lives of homeless children and participated in a special assembly Dec. 12. At the assembly, pupils read poems they'd written about homeless children and packed book bags.
      Gray said Child to Child not only helps the district's growing homeless population, but also helps teach her students.
      "The children benefit by understanding not everyone goes home and has everything they need readily accessible," Gray said. "And it also helps them become lifelong community-service (supporting) adults."
      All five student council board members have served on the council since second grade. They have helped gather items for the drives since kindergarten. Board members include: Power, and Rachel James, fourth grade; and Jeffery Ruskowitz, Brooke Nelson and Brooke Paulson, fifth grade.
      "We brought in everything we thought they'd need," said Paulson. "They can't get it themselves, so we help them out."