Students at JSC are getting into the holiday spirit by participating in the annual PTO sponsored Holiday Gift Shop. Every year, the PTO sponsors a marketplace full of affordable goodies, right in the elementary school cafeteria.

The festivities began on December fourth, kicking off on the cafeteria stage around 9 o’clock with Mrs. Anne Murray’s kindergarten class. The other grades visited throughout the rest of the week until Tuesday, December tenth.

Ella Frankenstein, a kindergarten student in Mrs. Melissa Joyce’s class, visited the gift shop on December 10th. “[I bought] Ornaments for Poppy and Joey. I bought a headband for Erica and Joey. Mom got a pen. I bought a stress relief dinosaur for Daddy and jewelry for Nanny,” Frankenstein said.

Student got about 40 minutes to browse, purchase and get their presents wrapped. PTO members had their work cut out for them, with only four wrappers handling the hundreds of gifts filtering through.

The excitement was in the air as the students waited to get their gifts wrapped. Kindergarten student Jeremiah Walker couldn’t contain his excitement. He said, “I’m going to give my mom her present as soon as I get home!”

In addition to setting up the entire shop, the John S. Clarke PTO also gives a dollar to each student, guaranteeing that every student can purchase an item.