The holiday season is all about spreading holiday cheer and giving back to the community, especially to people who are less fortunate than others.

In honor of the holiday season, National English Honor Society members Maddy Spisso, Grace Gaydosh, Angelique Fink, Alaina Burger, Tabitha Moses, Maya Apau, Olivia Geisler, and Zené, Fourie went to the Frederick Fairgrounds on December 17 for the 2019 Scholastic Book Fair’s Holiday Warehouse Sale. The Frederick County Literacy Council gave them the responsibility to shop for four families with elementary aged children.

The students bought books for four families who attend Ballenger Creek Elementary School and Thurmont Primary School. This is the second year that NEHS has participated in this literacy outreach.

“It was a great experience being able to pick out books and to give back to people around the holiday,” said Geisler.

Parents Karen Gaydosh and Michelle Moses accompanied the students to the book fair.

Last year, Co-Presidents Sally Marin and Lori Barrick of the Frederick County Literacy Chapter, asked NEHS to do the shopping and  the women provided the school name, ages of each family member, and their interests. This year, NEHS volunteered to help again because it was such a popular event. Karen Yoder, Literacy Specialist, also assisted in coordinating the list of  families at Thurmont Primary.

Marin provided about $600 worth of books for the families. The students were able to stretch their spending dollars due to BOGO deals and many coupons offers. 

Gaydosh and Burger put together baskets and bags of books for the families and delivered them to the schools on Thursday, December 19.