LHS Festival of Trees spreads Christmas Warmth

Students in La Grande High School’s alternative school decorate a tree Wednesday at LHS’s annual Festival of Trees. From left, are Devin Powsey, Connor Fry and Nick Hanni. Seventeen decorated Christmas trees will be given to families in financial need starting today. - The Observer/DICK MASON

About 100 LHS students participated in their school’s annual Festival of Trees event Wednesday afternoon. They decorated 17 Christmas trees that will be given to families in financial need starting this afternoon.

“We helped families and had fun doing it,’’ said LHS junior Nick Hanni.

Hanni is a student in the LHS alternative school, which decorated a tree in traditional and creative fashion.

“A lot of heart was put into it,’’ Hanni said.

The alternative school students’ tree included a popcorn and cranberry string; candy canes; animal figures — ones made via origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding; homemade ornaments; and more.

“They (the students) were proud of their work and felt good about the opportunity to give,’’ said Lin Casciato, a teacher at the alternative school.

The LHS alternative school group is among 17 that decorated one tree each on Wednesday. Others were decorated by members of LHS’s student government, Link Crew, senior class officers, junior class officers, sophomore class officers, freshmen class officers, the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America chapter, the National Honor Society chapter, the Math/Science Club, Spanish Club, band members, the Student Based Health Center, the classified staff, additional LHS staff members and Key Club.

La Grande High School senior Soren Madsen adds a decoration to a Christmas tree Wednesday. Madsen was participating in the LHS Festival of Trees. - The Observer/DICK MASON

Case in point: The Key Club. The club’s tree features many pairs of mittens and gloves plus stocking caps and scarves. The club decorates its tree with these items each year, one appropriately named “Helping Hands.’’ Junior Kaely Cox is among those who helped create the Key Club tree.

“It is really fun to help a family,’’ Cox said.

Gifts on on other trees include palm-sized LCD video games, miniature cars and a football. Some trees have gifts under them including books and teddy bears.

The trees were decorated Wednesday afternoon in the LHS commons and in its large hallway between the main office and the library. The decorating site became a fountain of youthful Christmas spirit.

“It is cool to be together doing something good for the community,’’ said senior Soren Madsen.

LHS science teacher Pat Des Jardin was among those who helped lead the project. He hopes families who receive the trees will be able to spend the money they would have used for decorations to buy gifts.

The Festival of Trees project was started at LHS seven years ago by Andrea Waldrop, now the school’s assistant principal. Waldrop, Des Jardin and other faculty and staff stepped forward again this December to make sure the Festival of Trees continued.

“It was especially important this year because this is going to be a hard Christmas for a lot of families (because of the poor economy),’’ Des Jardin said.

The decorated trees will be delivered to families by faculty and students beginning this afternoon. Senior Sierra Tishmack is among those who will help deliver them. Tishmack also assisted with Christmas tree deliveries a year ago. She will never forget the excitement of seeing wide smiles on the faces of the family members who received the trees.

“It is an amazing feeling.’’