The Rio Americano AVID and Civitas programs are busily collecting and wrapping presents for the annual Howe Avenue Toy Drive.
As of Wednesday, AVID teacher Jolynn Mason said she had 500 of the 550 gifts needed and that she expected to reach her goal.
Senior Brendan White explained how the toy drive works.
“We get the toys from students and families that donate them,” he said.
“Then we wrap them as a class and label them boys, girls, and grade. We then put them in bags and deliver them to the Howe Avenue School and go into each class and distribute the gifts. Some kids choose to open them right then and some save them until Christmas because that might be the one gift they get for Christmas.”

“It is important to help out students that don’t have as many resources as us,” Jolynn Mason explained said. “If you can give, you should because its a great way to be involved in the community.”
“Its fun to go their and see how many kids are happy and thankful for everything that they are getting.”
Senior Kara Lavenda explained what the participants get out of the project.
“It brings joy to us as a class that we get to bring Christmas gifts to unprivileged kids.”
Senior Emily Collins said she’d want to deliver the gifts even if she didn’t have to.
“It’s fun to take the gifts to the kids and seeing their faces light up.”
– Mirada Staff