Academy Provides Gifts for Disadvantaged Children

On November 14, The Academy at Ocean Reef’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) President, Kat Fritter, hosted her annual Samaritan’s Purse Gift Box Charity.

Otherwise known as Operation Christmas Child, the event brought students, parents, teachers, and friends of The Academy together to donate and pack up hundreds of boxes of gifts for underprivileged children all around the world. Gifts, arranged by age and gender, included: crayons, toys, hats, t-shirts, sunglasses, toothbrushes, bandanas, art supplies, playing cards, and books. These gifts were then packed in boxes, each marked for ages 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14 for boys and girls alike. Working together, The Academy community packed close to 300 boxes that have since been sent worldwide to children in need. As Head of School Jerome Murphy reflected afterwards, “It was a wonderful community building event that helped reinforce our commitment to instilling and modeling good values in the day to day lives of our children. The practice of giving back and helping those who are less fortunate was on full display, and we feel blessed to have had the opportunity to brighten the lives of so many disadvantaged children.”