Writing a letter to Santa is a tradition that many children enjoy. The students at Van Schaick Grade School have been writing their letters for the past 16 years, knowing that every letter will help make a difference in the lives of other children. The tradition is part of the Macy’s Believe campaign and for every letter that is dropped off at Macy’s, $2 is donated to the Make A Wish Foundation.
This campaign kicks off the school’s Believe Day that staff and students celebrate every year with much excitement and enthusiasm.
“Believe Day kicks off the holiday season at Van Schaick each year,” said VSGS Principal Jacqueline DeChiaro. “We show the students a short video about Make a Wish so they can see that their small act of writing a letter is granting a wish to a sick child.”
And that small act of kindness is something that sticks with the students. Three current Cohoes High School seniors still haven’t forgotten sending their letters all those years ago.
“Believe Day is a day that every child gets excited for,” said Kassidi Guire. “Not only getting to write letters to Santa, but getting to experience the joy of helping children in need throughout their journeys. The Make A Wish Foundation helps millions of children yearly and brings smiles to all as they contribute to those in need.”
For Brooke Godfrey-Fogarty, it was the excitement of writing a letter alongside her peers. “I remember the joy it brought me knowing I was giving back to our community.”
Christian DeChiaro agreed. “Believe Day at Van Schaick was always a fun day, marking the kick off to the Christmas season, and it was a great feeling knowing that our letters helped kids in need.”
Part of Believe Day also includes decorating the front hall of the school with a special theme. This year is “New York for the Holidays” which highlights three regions of the state: the Adirondacks, New York City and Western NY.
Past themes have included Holidays Around the World, Christmas Around the World, “The Grinch,” “Peanuts, ” and “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” which, Christian noted, was his favorite.
Teachers recently took their students on a walk through the display and enjoyed lively conversations about the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Niagara Falls, Whiteface Mountain and wildlife found in the Adirondack mountains.
The display will be up through the winter recess for all to enjoy and will be featured on NewsChannel 13 and News10, as well as in the Troy Record.