Schools

Financially Struggling Students Find Holiday Cheer at Citrus College

Several students and their families who face financial hardships were treated to a special holiday event during the colleges annual Adopt an Angel celebration.

Citrus College provided about 50 children and their parents a festive holiday experience that included a visit from Santa Claus and a bag full of gifts as part of the fourth annual Adopt an Angel celebration.

The event was held Dec. 5 and was geared to help students who are part of two college service programs that support economically and educationally disadvantaged. The party was hosted by the college’s Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education, known as CARE, and California Work Opportunity and Responsibility for Kids (CalWORKs.)

The event allowed members from the campus community to “adopt” one of the 42 “angels,” who are children of the students in the programs, organizers wrote in a news release. Guests enjoyed arts and crafts activities, gifts, snacks and pictures with Santa.

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“Having the Citrus College community come together every holiday season to help our students and their children is truly heartwarming” Superintendent/President Geraldine M. Perri, Ph.D through the news release. “I want to thank our staff, volunteers and contributors, without whom this event and the joy that it brings to these families wouldn’t be possible.”

About 100 students and their children have been served by this event since it began in 2010, officials wrote. Staff and students donate their time and gifts to holiday program.

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“We host this program to show our students that the Citrus College community is supportive, caring and believes in their ability to be successful,” said Sara Gonzales-Tapia, director of the Extended Opportunities Programs and Services (EOPS) Department, CARE and CalWORKs. “Our students may not always have the means to provide gifts for their children during the holidays, so this is an uplifting and happy occasion for all involved.”

To encourage literacy among the students and their children, the theme of the holiday event was “Season’s Reading.” In the spirit of the theme, students were given age-appropriate books and participated in story time, which was led by counseling faculty member Dorothy Jean Hays from the EOPS/CARE Department.

“We encourage students to bring their children to campus so that they may begin to make the connection that their mom/dad attends college,” Gonzales-Tapia said. “We want the parents to instill in their children the importance of education and that they, too, will go to college.”

Story courtesy of Citrus College


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