School's sock drive spreads warmth with generosity
Lee Elementary School students collect more than 1,000 pairs of socks to donate
More than 1,000 people will be feeling warmer this winter thanks to an effort from students at Lee Elementary School in the Los Alamitos Unified School District.
Late last month, the students launched a week-long drive to collect new socks for local people experiencing homelessness. It was part of the Community Action Team’s annual "Sock it to ‘Em" sock drive organized by Justin Rudd who is based in Long Beach.
The campus collected a total of 1,062 pairs, according to a message from Lee’s Interim Principal Laura Trotter. That helped propel the “Sock it to ‘Em” drive to collect a record-breaking 21,514 pairs of socks in its 21st year.
“We want our students to have a heart of service and to build empathy. We didn’t do a classroom competition to get more socks. We framed it as it’s a good thing to do for others,” Trotter wrote in an email to Spotlight Schools.
The sock drive was organized by Lee’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA), 3rd grade teacher Kylie Donaldson and the school’s student council which includes 3rd, 4th and 5th graders representing different classes, according to Karen Miller, vice president of Lee’s PTA.
Volunteers created posters and spread the word in the school newsletter to advertise the sock drive. During the last week of January, kids stood at each campus gate in the morning with their posters and gathered the donations.
“Kids were so excited to help! The student council was very excited to collect the socks and lead the charge on talking this cause up to their peers,” Trotter explained.
“I was very impressed with how our families stepped up,” Miller wrote in an email to Spotlight Schools. “It led to some meaningful conversations about how something as simple as socks can make a difference and to appreciate the gifts we have been given.” Miller explained that Lee families have been contributing to the sock drive for several years.
And the drive didn’t just positively impact the recipients of the socks.
"It made me feel good to help,” said nine-year-old Elliott Miller, Karen’s daughter and a 3rd grader at Lee who is on the student council and helped in the sock drive.
“It is important to donate to people who don't have what you have. It made me appreciate how much we have," she added.
According to Trotter, this won’t be the last lesson in generosity students experience.
“There are so many opportunities to give back when you seek it out. We want to continue to have that mindset at Lee,” she wrote.
Sign up for our newsletter
Your weekly dose of education news in Orange County simplified. We shine a light on the stories, people and policies impacting your family’s educational experience.
More in Community from Spotlight Schools
LAHS senior leads Girls in STEM program
'I wanted to make an impact on younger girls in the community'
Girl's Goal of Giving
8th grader hopes to perform 100 hours of community service this school year
Sunny seat at Seal Beach school honors beloved teacher
‘Caring Bench’ at McGaugh Elementary dedicated to Cari Crevda McQuiston who passed away in 2021
Time capsule from 1970 unveiled at Los Alamitos High School
Griffins from high school's first graduating class and current students share in historic moment
'Make your strangeness matter' is message in Kid Conference
Warner Middle School holds annual event run for and by students with 'Stranger Things' theme
Pageant of the Arts celebrating 40 years at McGaugh Elementary
Fine arts program includes performances with students bringing artworks to life
McAuliffe Middle School names Campus Supervisor as its 'Hero of the Heart'
Cleveland "Bud" Jones praised for 'connecting with students'
Los Alamitos High School’s Interact Club helps local families in Holiday Giving Drive
Supporters give $40,000 worth of donations for annual drive benefitting Casa Youth Shelter and school district families
🚸 School crossing guard honored for 28 years of service
Betty Camacho was City of Seal Beach's longest serving school crossing guard
Parent volunteer who survived tragedy named 'Hero of the Heart'
Autumn Bignami praised for her service to Los Alamitos Elementary School
Youth football team fundraising to get to Pop Warner 'Super Bowl'
Los Alamitos team qualified for 13U Division II championship game in Florida
School newspaper gets rebooted at Los Alamitos High School
Student journalism class returns to campus and launches Griffin Gazette website
Crossing guard named Rossmoor Elementary's 'Hero of the Heart' for 2022-23
Tom Germscheid: 'It's not just a job to me anymore. It's who I've become.'
Pumped up for pickleball
McAuliffe Middle School club gets students on the courts
‘Taste for Los Al’ boosts Los Alamitos High School student activities as foodies delight
Around 3,000 tickets were sold to event featuring local restaurants
O.C. teacher wins big on Wheel of Fortune
McAuliffe Middle School special education teacher earns nearly $60,000 in episode during 'Teacher's Week' on the TV game show
Math lesson comes alive with 100x100 In-N-Out burger surprise
Third graders calculate the cost and calorie count of mega meal
Full Circle Moment at McGaugh Elementary
Connected by a Chair: creation by school board member for teacher's late father part of 'amazing' reunion
'Backpack Bash' is boost for students at Inglewood school
Seal Beach teacher delivers backpacks filled with school supplies donated at annual party with a purpose
Los Alamitos High School Quarterback Malachi Nelson on What's Next
Nelson talks about the upcoming 2022-23 football season, his last as a Griffin
LAHS Football Coach says dignity, integrity and grace are primary focus for his student-athletes
Ray Fenton touches on NFL recruitment, a new NCAA policy that could transform high school sports and more in talk at Chamber meeting
McGaugh's Pageant of the Arts Returns
After two years of cancelled shows due to the pandemic, students were back on stage for the 39th Pageant