Students from the Socorro ISD Health Professions Academy (HPA) demonstrated the true spirit of giving this Christmas, making a meaningful impact in the community. For the ninth consecutive year, HPA students participated in the El Paso Community Foundation's Spirit of Giving holiday project.
The foundation provided tags from Spirit of Giving trees listing children’s wishes for gifts. The students selected tags and purchased the items for the children, donating a total of 375 gifts.
Brianna Torres, an 11th grader, bought a slime-making kit and a Percy Jackson book for a 9-year-old girl who asked for arts and crafts supplies and books.
“Sharing and giving back is just something I really wanted to participate in, and this helped me connect to my community,” said Torres, who has been involved in the initiative since her freshman year.
Since 2016, students in the HPA program have participated in the Spirit of Giving, gaining valuable lessons in empathy, compassion, and community service, which are important traits for nurses and health professionals.
Lucy West, the Spirit of Giving coordinator, said the high school has donated nearly 2,500 gifts to date. This year, students provided gifts to children at six different organizations, including Parkdale Head Start Center, Aliviane Women and Children Residential Program and Project Vida.
The gifts, which included toys, books, and clothes, were neatly wrapped in colorful wrapping paper and placed on tables in front of the high school, and then sorted by community organizations. When the organizations arrived, students loaded the gifts into their cars.
“This is the organization that gives the most in one shot, for lack of a better phrase,” West said, while students were distributing the gifts on Dec. 4. “This is the one that I really love because you can tell from the students, the way they bring things out and sort them and everything, that they really care.”
Dr. Fabiola Armendariz, the HPA coordinator, said the event was a great way to connect the students with community organizations and participate in community service.
“It was a great foundation, especially with what we're trying to teach our students with becoming healthcare workers. It was a good foundation, so they know that it's better to give than to receive,” Armendariz said.
Genesis Winebrenner, an 11th grader and aspiring nurse, purchased clothes and hair accessories for a little girl. She emphasized that every child deserved to experience joy by receiving a gift on Christmas morning.
“This allows us to understand what kids may feel. It allows us to pick presents and help those in need because, as a nurse, all you're doing is helping those in need,” Winebrenner said.
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Socorro High HPA El Paso Community Foundation's Spirit of Giving event photos