Whenever Holiday Festival rolls around every Christmas season, everyone gets so excited. Holiday Festival is an ongoing tradition at my school. It is a day where students and young kids from kindergarten and up from Roberto Clemente School in Paterson New Jersey, participate in different activities and spend time together. The student escorts give their buddies gifts for the holidays, and bond with them. Last year, the theme of the day was Moana, and this year it was A Charlie Brown Christmas. The school is always decorated the day before by teachers and students with several themed posters and Christmas decorations for the kids.

Every year, a few weeks before the event, the escorts are given a sheet with all the information they need on their buddies. It tells you their age, name, bus number, and also their Christmas wish list. All the escorts are given shirts that go along with the theme for that year. Students are given a chance in their art classes to design the shirt, and the best design is chosen to be printed on the shirts. Lastly, upperclassmen have the opportunity to run activities like cookie decorating, or necklace making in the lunchroom, or become elves that are in charge of getting the children to their classroom and making sure everything is running smoothly throughout the day.

Last year, I was matched with a nine-year-old girl. I was so excited to be with a girl, and I started thinking of things I could talk to her about when the day came. When we finally met, it was an interaction that I wasn’t expecting. She was very shy, and every time I tried to talk to her she wouldn’t answer. I was okay with it though, because I knew she was probably nervous. But, when we opened gifts, she lit up. She was so happy and grateful for everything that I gave her. After that, all she wanted to do was talk to me and play with me. It was such a heartwarming experience my first year as a Holiday Festival escort. So much so that I decided I would do it again the next year.

This year, unlike last, I was paired with an 11-year-old boy. I was excited, but nervous that he would be very shy like my Roberto Clemente student from the year before. When we met, it was a completely different experience from last year. He was the one to start conversations, and he had many questions. We spent almost the whole day in the gym, where he played soccer with his friends from his class. Then, finally, it was time to open gifts. I was so excited to give him his gifts. He asked for one specific toy on his list, so I was excited to see his reaction when he opened it. When I gave him his gifts, he was so appreciative, much more than I had expected. Every gift he opened, he gasped and hugged me saying thank you. Although my student this school year was very different from my student last school year, they were both so much fun, and I am so thankful I had the chance to spend the day with each of them.

For the past two years, after each Holiday Festival, it puts a lot of things in perspective for me. It makes me realize that I should appreciate every little thing that happens in life. These kids that visit our school for the day, come from a very different place compared to an average family living in the FLOW district. They face challenges in their life every day that some people in our school might never have to experience. Their enthusiasm and reactions to the little things presented to them throughout the day, make me realize that everything is so special, and worth cherishing. I can’t wait for next year to meet my new buddy.