12th annual Shop With a Warrior brings holiday cheer to community
In the freshman cafeteria, little warriors decorate their own sugar cookies with Christmas colored icing and sprinkles.
December 19, 2016
Students arrived at NC early Saturday morning, December 17, to participate in the annual Shop with a Warrior.
Students formed teams of three or four and raised $100, with an extra $25 from the school, to take their Little Warrior shopping at the nearby Wal-Mart for Christmas gifts for themselves and their families. The children selected for the event come from lower income families on free or reduced lunch who cannot afford many Christmas gifts.
“It was really nice seeing the kids smiling and having fun. My favorite part was seeing my kid find the toy she wanted since she was a little girl,” senior Jonathan Theriault said.
After checking in with a NC staff member, the team captains met their kid and his or her parent before getting on a bus to Wal-Mart.
“I enjoyed shopping with my kid and seeing his reaction to his presents. It was a humbling experience,” junior Justin Pumillo said.
When the students and children arrived at Wal-Mart, the band greeted them with energizing and upbeat music. The Wal-Mart staff also provided juice and cookies to the little shoppers. While shopping, each team kept a list of what the family wanted and tracked the price of the items, ensuring that they would not go over budget. After checking out, students rode the bus back to NC.
Staring face-to-face with My Little Pony’s Twilight Sparkle, Emilie remains content with the day’s purchases for her family.
Students and children wrapped the gifts and took pictures with Santa Claus back at NC. The team ate pizza for lunch and could get their face painted before the child’s parent arrived.
Back in the cafeteria, Santa’s Workshop works in full swing with rows of wrapping paper and ribbons.
“The most memorable part was wrapping the presents with the kid. It was a lot of fun and they got really excited to pick the wrapping paper and wrap the gift for their family,” sophomore Lucas Magalhães said.
The students involved in Shop with a Warrior not only helped younger members of the community, but became thankful for what they have during the holiday season.
“[Shop with a Warrior] definitely made me feel and think about how grateful I am for the items I take for granted,” senior Kira Stopczynski said.
