In a three room building in the little town of Agassiz, lies an alternate school program with a huge heart, called ACE. The alternate youth in this program have earned their way back into the community through a variety of annual events with seniors.
There is none more important than the Christmas Morning Breakfast for Seniors and event for seniors who would otherwise be alone. Yes, it is actually on Christmas morning, and yes, these youth will be at the Legion at 6 a.m. Sunday Dec. 25 to set up and cook a breakfast for seniors who need the companionship.
After breakfast, which will be prepared with food donated by the local A & W, two ACE alumni will play Santa and the Elf, to make sure everyone gets a gift they can open around other people and to ensure they will have the opportunity to share in the joy that would otherwise be missing.
The donations of the gifts were graciously given by local businesses who support this ever-growing event. The gifts were all collected by students in strong winds with cold temperatures and snow and then wrapped by the same students.
Students will be giving up their Christmas morning, and given that alternate students are those that have less, these particular students tend to give more, which seems to be on par with the spirit of Christmas.
Society often views alternate school students as “bad” or even “stupid”, but if they could see the kids at this school, they would see highly intelligent, polite, caring, young people who show that there is great hope for our future adults.
In the office of the school you will find a sign that says “I give not because I have much but because I know what it is like to have nothing.”
It is the unofficial motto and, more importantly, the way these kids live and think every day.