The shine of Christmas magic might dim for children as they grow older, but for the senior class at Columbus St. Francis DeSales High School it gleamed brightly once again this month.
On Tuesday, Dec. 6, the school held its annual Christmas in the Courtyard, an event bringing children served by Columbus St. Stephen’s Community House to the school to celebrate with the seniors.
Christmas in the Courtyard was started in 2000 with the help of Andrea Pore, then a teacher at the school. She had recently graduated from the University of Dayton and was inspired by that school’s annual Christmas on Campus event.
St. Francis DeSales has had a long relationship with St. Stephen’s. In addition to Christmas in the Courtyard, DeSales students hold annual food drives with donations going to St. Stephen’s. So, it was only natural that Christmas in the Courtyard be shared with St. Stephen’s.
“It’s one of my favorite traditions, without a doubt,” DeSales Principal Dan Garrick said. “It really captures the essence of what we hope that we are instilling in our students, and what the real reason for Christmas is – joyful anticipation of Christ’s birth, but also the opportunity to give.
“Our students have always embraced it.”
There was a role for everyone in planning the event. The seniors signed up for various jobs. They also received the name of a St. Stephen’s child and what he or she wanted for Christmas. The seniors bought the gifts, which were wrapped by DeSales students and staff members.
On the evening of the event, DeSales sent buses to St. Stephen’s to pick up the children. As they arrived, the seniors sang Christmas carols. Each child was paired with a senior to enjoy the festivities.
The evening started with a reenactment of the Nativity, performed by some of the seniors. After the performance, the children enjoyed pizza with their senior buddies. Then the children took part in activities, including craft stations and photos with Santa.
Toward the end of the event, the children were taken to the “Elf Station” where they received the gifts they had requested. As the evening ended, the children were sent off with another round of carols.
“To see the joy on their faces is really a neat thing. It really warms the heart,” Garrick said. “It’s a high-energy night, so in some instances you’re exhausted by the time it’s over, but you don’t want to see it end.
“Christmas is special for all of us, but when you see Christmas through the eyes of a child there is something really special about that.”
Senior Alex Herrmann agreed. “A lot of us miss having that experience of Christmas.
“An entire class and entire faculty rallied together to give these kids a Christmas experience that they wouldn’t have otherwise,” Herrmann said. “It was even more rewarding and fun than we really expected.”
Jenna Mar is a graduate of Columbus Bishop Watterson High School and Kent State University.
