Socks, Songs & Elves

Holiday Tree in Lobby of Adminstrative Building

We invited people in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools community to let us know some of the ways in which students, staff and others in the school community are reaching out during the holidays. Below are some of the activities that we have heard about so far. If your school or organization is doing something, please let Kim Underwood know. You may reach him at rkunderwood@wsfcs.k12.nc.us

Reagan High School, Mount Tabor High School, Reynolds High School, West Forsyth High School - Last year, Reagan student Nick Nictakis – along with the Hanesbrands and the Josh Howard Foundation - organized The Forsyth County Sock Exchange challenge in which students at Reagan and Mount Tabor worked to see which student body could collect the most socks for people who are homeless. This year, Reynolds and West have also accepted Nictakis’ challenge. Hanesbrands will provide a $500 donation to each school that collects at least 150 pairs, with $1,000 going to the school that collects the most.

The Children’s Center – The Children’s Center shares the grounds of the Graylyn estate with Graylyn International Conference Center, and each year everyone in the school heads over to the conference center during the holiday season for a sing-along with their neighbors. This year, they will be making their visit on the morning of Dec. 14.

Southeast Middle School – SRO (School Resource Officer) Officer D.M. Brown of the Kernersville Police Department, Media Coordinator Lisa Turner, the members of the Jaguar Book Club and the Music Department are coordinating a toy and book drive. After the drive ends on Dec. 12, the toys and books will be turned over to Impact Triad, a Kernersville nonprofit, for distribution.  

Forsyth Middle College – Through the G.I.V.E. (Give, Initiate, Volunteer, Encourage) Initiative, students will participate in the Salvation Army Stocking Stuffer Program. Students will be filling stockings to be given to children in the community. Each student has the option of designing his or her own stocking. “The G.I.V.E. Initiative allows the Forsyth Middle College Community to give back in a variety of ways which not only benefit Forsyth County and the world beyond, but the entire student body as well.”  

East Forsyth High School - On the afternoon of Dec. 13, student volunteers from the Family Community Career Leaders of America (FCCLA) will be heading over to the Salvation Army distribution center to help box toys for families in Forsyth County.

Southwest Elementary School - On the morning of Dec. 17, kindergarten students will be going to the Kaplan Early Learning Co. and to a retirement home to sing Christmas carols.

Sedge Garden Elementary School – In partnership with TE Connectivity and First Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, the Sedge Garden Elementary community will be providing gifts and food cards to families in the school through its Angel Tree. This is an annual program that, in the past, has helped 30 or more families each year.

Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce & Hall-Woodward Elementary School – Each year since 1999, the Chamber of Commerce, which provides tutors at Hall-Woodward, has bought a book for every kindergarten student and a pencil/candy for every first- and second-grade student there. Santa and his trusty elves (Rodessa Mitchell, Jennifer Cobb and others from the Chamber) visit the school and give the students their presents. This year, they will be dropping by on the afternoon of Dec. 12.

Central Office - The Forsyth County Chapter of the Association of Educational Office Professionals (AEOP) has been collecting toys, clothing and other items for the Love Out Loud Gift Mart at Old Town Elementary School. It is also providing volunteers for the Gift Mart. The Gift Mart is sponsored annually by Bridges Church, the partner organization for the BackPack program at Old Town, which supplies weekend meals for students eligible for free or reduced-price meals.