Students and staff in the Oxford Area School District worked collaboratively during limited in-person time to make the holidays brighter for others in their community.

The Oxford Area High School chapter of Interact, a high school level community service organization of Rotary International sponsored locally by the Oxford Rotary Club, organized a collection of toys clothing, and other items for the annual Christmas Room at the Oxford Neighborhood Services Center, which each holiday season provides parents with the opportunity to choose toys and other items for their children's Christmas gifts. 

The Hornet Hauler recently pulled up to the Oxford Neighborhood Services Center to drop off a load of toys and other items donated by Oxford Area School District central office staff members. The drive was organized by Cortney Encarnacion, the district social worker and Pennsylvania certified Home and School Visitor, with staff members encouraged to donate items for children ages 10 to 12, who are often overlooked in holiday collections.

Interact members invited the various honor societies at OAHS to get involved in the drive, and several overflowing collection boxes were dropped off for distribution in the Oxford community. 

The members of the Oxford Area High School chapter of National English Honor Society worked together to make 97 holiday cards to be delivered to the residents of Ware Presbyterian Village. 

"In these difficult times, Oxford students continue to think about what they can do to make others happy," said chapter advisor Carynne Burnett. "I'm so proud of them!”