FEATURES

16 |FEATURES Holiday Bear Project inspires students to give back

Hannah Ratcliffe ’22

Web Arts Editor

s the holiday season Arolls around each year, gift buying becomes the center of everyone’s thoughts center of everyone’s thoughts as they fl ee to the nearest mall as they fl ee to the nearest mall to check items off their family’s to check items off their family’s wishlists. However, the holidays wishlists. However, the holidays look very different for those who look very different for those who are less fortunate and cannot are less fortunate and cannot afford such luxuries, which is afford such luxuries, which is why Staples has come together why Staples has come together to give underprivileged children to give underprivileged children the festive season they deserve. the festive season they deserve. The Holiday Bear Project The Holiday Bear Project originated as a growing initiaoriginated as a growing initiative by the Connecticut Educative by the Connecticut Education Association (CEF) in 1999. tion Association (CEF) in 1999. The teachers union nominates The teachers union nominates and sponsors students in need and sponsors students in need across the state who may not get across the state who may not get the typical holiday experience. the typical holiday experience. Then, students and teachers Then, students and teachers from different school districts from different school districts come together to buy, wrap come together to buy, wrap and distribute thoughtful gifts. and distribute thoughtful gifts. “We have been able to pro“We have been able to provide over 500 students across vide over 500 students across the state gifts for the holidays,” the state gifts for the holidays,” CEF President Joslyn DeLancey CEF President Joslyn DeLancey said. “In years past, we’ve had said. “In years past, we’ve had to use funds to make sure that to use funds to make sure that students received gifts, but this students received gifts, but this year, we’ve had a huge showyear, we’ve had a huge showing of support from teachers ing of support from teachers and community members.” and community members.” The Holiday Bear Project has The Holiday Bear Project has been a prevalent class activity this been a prevalent class activity this year at Staples due to math teachyear at Staples due to math teacher Stacey Delmhorst. After seeing er Stacey Delmhorst. After seeing the positive effect it had on her the positive effect it had on her own family, she wanted to help own family, she wanted to help implement it at Staples as well. In implement it at Staples as well. In terms of gifts, it is important that terms of gifts, it is important that the sponsored children receive the sponsored children receive necessities like socks, blankets necessities like socks, blankets and personal hygiene items, plus and personal hygiene items, plus “want”-oriented presents that “want”-oriented presents that are catered to specifi c interests.

“I thought to myself how powerful it would be if we came together as a class to fulfi ll the wish list,” Delmhorst said. “I knew that if I started doing this with my classes we could all work together as a group.” Delmhorst spread the word of this project to her colleagues, and soon enough, multiple different classes and Connections groups were participating in The Holiday Bear Project. “It’s nice for the school to come together to give back to people who may not be as fortunate as us because we come from a very wealthy, well-off community,” Isabelle Ricks ’22 said after buying and wrapping gifts during Connections. “Doing stuff like this is really generous, but also very needed in this world.” The need for acts of generosity without any expectations of it being reciprocated is emphasized with the Holiday Bear Project, as students do not get any reaction or contact back from the child’s family after their gifts have been donated. There is no incentive other than knowing you have made a difference in a less privileged child’s life.

“There’s no better way to show kindness with sincerity than to donate items to another child for Christmas, but getting nothing out of it,” Delmhorst said. “In my classroom, you do not get extra points for doing this, you do not get extra credit. We simply do this to be

good charitable human beings.” This project gives students who may not have to worry about receiving presents around the holidays a way to think of those who are not as fortunate, and make a difference in “It’s nice for the someone’s school to come life, despite not knowing together to give the outcome. “I don’t back to people think it’s rewho may not be as ally so much about stufortunate as us.” dents getting anything out -Isabelle Ricks ’22 of it,” Jaime Paul ’23 said while helping out in her AP European History class. “It’s just about doing the right thing.” CEF only expects for the project to grow as more schools Connections. “Doing stuff like this is really generous, but also very needed in this world.” The need for acts of generosity without any expectations of it being reciprocated is emphasized with the Holiday Bear Project, as students do not get any reaction or contact back from the child’s family after their gifts have been donated. There is no incentive other than knowing you have made a difference in a less privileged child’s life.

“There’s no better way to show kindness with sincerity than to donate items to another child for Christmas, but getting nothing out of it,” Delmhorst said. “In my classroom, you do not get extra points for doing this, you do not get extra credit. We simply do this to be GIFT BAGS Connections classes participate in the Holiday Bear Project to spread positivity during the holiday season. get involved. get involved. While it may While it may seem like a seem like a small present, small present, it can make an it can make an immense differimmense difference in a child’s ence in a child’s life around life around the holidays. the holidays.

“The Holiday Bear Project would only be successful with students and teachers committing to making sure that others in need are taken care of,” Delancey said. “So we truly appreciate the support of all of the students and teachers at Staples who got involved and were excited to give during the holiday season.”

Graphics by Lily Klau ’23 Photo by Jason Stein ’22

Scan this QR code to learn more about or donate to the Holiday Bear Project

ARTS

24-hour diner wanted by students, not realistic in today’s climate

Graphic by Madeline Michalowski ’22

For many Staples students, hours are often spent outside of school on projects and studying. While some study at home, others study elsewhere in hopes of a more laid-back environment. ey seek other locales around town, such as the library or diner. However, these places close earlier than when a student’s studying ends. This denies some students a place to work and study; therefore, some students at Staples have been wanting a 24hour diner to come to town. I originally agreed. In fact, I previously supported the idea of having a 24-hour diner in Westport. But, after conducting my own research and interviewing diner owners, I learned how diffi cult running a diner can be. In fact, I learned that a 24-hour din-

A 24-hour diner is a brilliant idea on paper, but in actuality, opening up one [...] simply is not what’s best for business.

er is open at all hours, and you can fi nd the dining room full as late as four or fi ve a.m. For a diner to receive er is simply unrealistic and customers at late unlikely to survive in 2021. hours, a diner relies These extended-hour diners on its extensive history are notoriously hard to profi t of being open 24 hours, like Anfrom, and it takes years to be- dros has, in order to attract busicome established enough to sur- ness. While Pertesis has thought vive as a about making Southport 24 24-hour hours as well, diner. it doesn’t have The few that reputation, 24-hour and it would diners left take a long time standing to establish one. are usu- Additionally, ally open the COVID-19 solely due pandemic has to tra- made running a dition. diner even more Take diffi cult due to Tony staffi ng shortagPertesis, who owns the South- es. Dimitri Alatakis, who’s been port Diner and whose family an owner of the Westport instihas owned the Andros Diner tution, Sherwood Diner, agrees. in Fairfi eld since 1973 - the only Sherwood once was open 24 surviving 24-hour diner with- hours, but changed its times of in 20 minutes of Westport. operation 15 years ago. And now, After being open for 50 years, due to the pandemic, Sherwood it’s well-known that Andros Din- is now closing even earlier than

hours as well, it doesn’t have that reputation, and it would take a long time to establish one. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has made running a diner even more diffi cult due to staffi ng shortagprevious times. Alatakis said it would be “out of the question” to return to 24 hours of operation. A 24-hour diner is a brilliant idea on paper, but in actuality, opening up one that isn’t established, and opening it during the pandemic, is nearly impossible. If one really needs a 24-hour diner, then make the short trek over the town border to Andros Diner, because in the case of diners, while a new 24-hour diner may not succeed, an old, established, state institution will continue to thrive.

Graphic by Elle Vail ’23

Here are local diners’ closing times