The sign on the wall at Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School says "Celebrate the Real Meaning of Christmas." The 196 students, teacher, parents and visitors gathered together Thursday morning needed no such encouragement.
The spirit of Christmas abounded from the moment you walked in and were greeted by a child handing out the morning’s program with a polite "Welcome to our school" and a great big smile. The youngsters were beside themselves with excitement, not just for Santa’s impending visit, but for the chance to get on the stage and sing their little lungs out.
And they didn’t even know what Santa had in store for them – almost $10,000 worth of presents. No, that is not a typo.
Under the guidance of Montessori Rotary Interact Club advisor Elizabeth Elger, a handful of students created Project GIVE about 15 days ago. The Montessori Rotary Interact Club teamed up with Rotary Club of St. Thomas Sunrise, whose adopted school is Tuitt Elementary, to assist.
Elger said she first emailed her family in the states, who in turn reached out to more 
friends. "We raised this from off- and on-island," Elger said, "with no big corporate donors, though we had two individuals who gave $1,000 each. We went to our kids’ teachers, parents, friends, everybody. We decided on a $50 price limit for each of the 196 students."
Elger said, "I was told it couldn’t be done. We’d never raise that. Well, we did it in five days."
Elger, a young and vibrant personality new to the campus this year, simply doesn’t take "no" for an answer. "Failure is just not an option," she said. And set out to prove it.
Rotary Sunrise member Susan McFarlane said, "Elizabeth came to our club asking for donations. She said what she needed, and "no" would not be accepted."
In retrospect, getting the donations may have been the easy part. Then the shopping began.
"Each child wrote a letter to Santa, and we tried to make as many of their wishes come true as possible," she said. One youngster who wanted a guitar, got one, bigger than she was, Elger said, donated by school librarian, Kathy Schlesinger. "Used, but in great shape," Elger said, quick to add the child also got her Barbie.
Meantime Elger and her elves – Avery Berry, Imani Sidiropoulos, Tristan Slimming, Megan Godfrey, Carolyn, Catherine and Michaela Phelan, and Kara Robinson – have not stopped. They have been frantically shopping, wrapping and bagging ever since. One elf said with a smile, "I counted 24 hours I have spent in K-Mart, not consecutively, of course."
Elger said the team received "lots of help" from other students and teachers, noting, "It really does take a village."
The team was still busy Thursday morning sorting all the individual bags of presents and lining them up for each grade in the hallway, stealing glimpses of the program when they could.
To say the Tuitt youngsters put their heart and soul into the morning doesn’t even begin to touch their performance. Tiny hands and feet never stopped as they sang a song, did a dance, read a poem, always bringing their audience into the act, just like the pros.
At one point eight girls, two to a microphone, did a rousing rendition of "Give Love on Christmas Day," with glances at one another as they hit a difficult note.
The scene stealer had to be the kindergartners dancing to "Jingle Bell Rock" around their own tree, a little girl dressed in green felt, who stood straight with a determined smile as her classmates danced around her in quick short steps, hands held high with an occasional sway of a hip, followed by a giggle.
As they lined up for Santa, aka Dennis Parker, they were all one family. As the elves called out the names, the youngsters were remarkably well behaved, holding in their excitement.
"Look, John, they’re calling you!" "Yeah, hurry, hurry, let’s see what you got."
Elger and her elves later talked about the responses the kids had written to Santa. The form letter had asked them what’s their favorite color and favorite things to do – read, play music said one – as well as what they wanted from Santa.
As Elger and the Montessori students talked about the replies – Barbies, Easy-Bake ovens, radio-controlled cars – the conversation took an emotional turn. "One little boy said he just wanted a family, another wanted a blanket and some shoes, and one little girl just wanted a Christmas card."
Catherine Phelan said, "I remember when I was little and just wanted a Barbie, then I saw the letter where the little boy said he wanted a family. I realize how lucky I was. I so happy I got to help make this year special for these little children."
The youngsters also each received a book, individually wrapped with their names, from Rotary Sunrise, which donates the books each year.
Ira Mills, former Office of Budget and Management director, presented awards from Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis to the Montessori Interact and Sunrise Rotary clubs.
While saying the award was not expected, Elger beamed her gratitude. When not celebrating Christmas, Elger is the school’s community service coordinator and math teacher.
