Yorktown Students Spread Holiday Cheer and Kindness

Students and staff at  have not only been spreading holiday cheer over the last few weeks, but kindness as well. 

They raised close to $4,000 to help buy coats, hats, gloves, mittens and toys all on wish lists of about 50 underprivileged students in the Morrissania neighborhood of the Bronx. 

Students, part of the Operation Grace Club, combined efforts with teachers at Yorktown High School and their classes to answer the letters of the young kindergarten through second grade students.

Through "Operation Santa," each teacher and his or her class took on the assignment to raise money in order to buy the things that were on their 'assigned' child's list. 

Cathryn Quackenbush, a guidance counselor at the high school, said "Operation Santa" was started about 10 years ago by her friend Kaisa Newhams, who decided to focus on others following a personal tragedy of her own. 

The first year, only a few of Quackenbush's colleagues heard about her participation and wanted to "take on" a kid. The next year, participation grew and toys and clothes for about 18 students were provided. 

"Since then I have invited all staff at the high school and administration to become involved and we began to take on 22-30 students," she said. This year, Operation Grace got involved and asked classes and teachers to take on kids. With their promotion and the individuals who like to participate we were able to help the 48 youngsters this year."

Anna Carbone and John Wolff, seniors at the high school and co-presidents of Operation Grace Club, said they thought it was a great idea to go around to the various teachers at school and try to get as many people involved in on the good deed. 

Some teachers and their students were able to raise $100, another teacher raised $500. They were all working toward a common goal -- to spread holiday cheer and sponsor an underprivileged child for the holidays. 

Carbone and Wolff said it also brought the students together as they went shopping for the gifts on each child's list. The money they used was raised through bake sales and personal donations. All winter clothing and toys were donated to the young kids last week. 

"I imagined how happy they would be, how thankful they would be to have holidays that are really cheerful and to know that someone was thinking of them," Carbone said of how she felt of being a part of the efforts. 

Wolff agreed. 

"It made me want to be like a St. Nick type of guy and give [the kids] an opportunity to have a good holiday," he said.

Carbone and Wolff hope more people will join the efforts each year, which would enable them to help more children.

Pamela Chesser, an English teacher at the high school who also advises the Operation Grace Club students, said the efforts teaches students to think "beyond themselves" and help someone else. 

"A lot of the kids realize how fortunate they are," she said. "They felt good about helping each other during the holiday season."

Quackenbush said some of the students in the participating classes and clubs might not have predicted getting involved, but really appreciated the experience.

"It’s been amazing," she said. "Many are the types of students who you know are generous and enthusiastic and love projects."

Some of the Operation Grace Club students, who were sponsored by the  F. Cecil Grace Foundation, are Andrew DeCoursey, Kara Biroldi, Anna Carbone, Jeff Naft, John Wolff and Jack Phelan. 

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