VWHS students seeking Christmas toys

VW independent/submitted information

Van Wert High School students will host a toy drive December 9-13 to benefit Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. Students in Natoshia Wilhelm’s PAWS class partnered with VWHS National Honor Society students and set a goal of donating 600 toys to children with cancer.

All VWHS students are participating in the “Believe in You Challenge” for the 2019-2020 school year. VWHS partnered with Varsity Brands to bring the challenge, and motivational speaker Kevin Atlas, to Van Wert. Atlas, the first-ever basketball player with only one hand to earn a Division I scholarship, challenged students to be the change within the walls of Van Wert High School, asking them to go to at least one school event they normally would not attend in order to support their classmates.

In cooperation with Atlas’ challenge, Varsity Brands has designed a year-long lesson plan containing a series of videos that students watch and discuss during PAWS, VWHS’s advisory period. Each month, students watch a video that highlights successful and inspirational individuals and are then presented with a new challenge, such as finding ways to improve someone’s day. 

Students in Mrs. Wilhelm’s PAWS class were particularly moved after watching a recent episode that featured St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

After seeing the St. Jude’s video, the students wanted to find a way to help other teens and decided to team up with VWHS’s National Honor Society students to host a high school and middle school toy drive that will benefit the children at Nationwide Children’s Hospital this holiday season. 

The students are asking for donations from community members, as well as students. Anyone wanting to donate a toy may do so during normal school hours in the high school office or drop it off at the boys’ home basketball game on Friday, December 13. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Donations should be left unwrapped and will be delivered the following week. Those interested can click here to see the donation wish list for items in high demand.