We are very, very excited to announce that James Sales Elementary will be featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show on January 5 at 4:00 p.m. PST on channel 5 (link to video will be posted once it is available). Students and staff learned yesterday that James Sales Elementary will receive $100,000 from the Ellen DeGeneres Show and Target Corporation as recognition of the school’s awesome 12 Days of Hope program. Ellen DeGeneres heard about the students and staff of James Sales Elementary through an online written submission that Principal Kristen Schroeder sent in after watching Ellen's 12 Days of Giveaways.
Principal Schroeder has decided that the best way to decide how the $100,000 gets spent is to engage a decision-making process that includes the students, parents and staff of the school.
James Sales' 12 Days of Hope is a program developed by Principal Schroeder, with the help of staff at the school, aimed to express unconditional love and unconditional giving to students in a way that supports positive reinforcement and compels the 400+ kindergarten through 5th graders to develop a greater understanding and appreciation for the practice of giving and receiving of themselves. For the past two years, on each of the 12 days preceding holiday break, students receive a different surprise each day. Starting on December 5th and proceeding through December 20th, every student of the school received socks, velvet fuzzy color posters, a pomegranate, shirts with college/university logos on them, gloves, hats, grab bags, pajama wearing day, craft day, brand new coats, games day, and ornaments.
"It has been so heartwarming to see these students -- some of whom do not have a whole lot themselves -- giving to others as part of our 12 Days of Hope. On craft day, students volunteered to donate their crafts and ornaments to the children and families currently being cared for at Children's Hospital in Seattle. We see first-hand that 12 Days of Hope has inspired and compelled our students to be generous givers as they are receivers," said Principal Kristen Schroeder.
Each day in celebrating their day of hope, the students recite a cheer that was crafted by the staff of James Sales Elementary:
We are smart!
We work hard!
We are thankful!
We are exceptional!
We are loved!
The students and staff of James Sales Elementary would like to publicly thank all of the individuals, organizations and businesses that contributed to 2011's 12 Days of Hope (in no particular order):
Donna Hollenback
PLU, Office of Admissions
Portland State University, Office of Admissions
Imagine Learning, Andrew and Lisa
Carrol at JCPenney's
Kristi Austin LaCrosse
Austin and Jamie Love
Cindy Jones
Tyler Pratt
Jennifer Fendrick
Paula Dawson and Family
Leinweber Family
Joni Mariman (bag with play dough, pencils, erasers, marshmallow snowman, etc.)
Julie and Dave Steffenson (play dough for my class)
Chris Anderson (Portland State college gear)
Lauralee Hagen (PLU buttons, pens, megaphones)
Jessica Winer and Office of Admission (PLU t-shirts, pens, tote bags, etc.)
Tina Taylor (toothbrushes)
Paula Murdock ($20 to use for gloves/hats)
BJ and Leah Stockton and family
Evette and Bruce Bierman
Andra Odegaard
Susan Templin
Carrie and Trevor Carlson and mom
Carol
Rollie Moore
Lindquist family
Jennifer Lesner’s mom and friends in Spokane (Mrs. Jeffries)
Elizabeth Lewis, Operation Warm, Inc. (coats)
Pam Lubbesmeyer
Georgia and Terrance Coale
Dianne Water’s son and brother
Mark Lovin
Ann and Will Gillon
Marty Outlaw
Pierce County Health Department, Judy Olsen and Etta
Michelle Peacock, Ebay
The Green family
Janet Ocasio, SPI
Carre Avary and the Keithley MS Staff
Christian van Blommestein (Jack Nadel International)
Debbie Agergel (Jack Nadel International)
Craig Nadel (Jack Nadel International)
Scott Pelon (Mega Brand Warehouse)
Jim Bolinger (Mega Brand Warehouse)
USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable grant
Umpqua Bank
Shirley Chung
Parkland Baptist Church Food Bank
Barb Mondloch and family
Dawn Gambrell-Walker, Jack Nadel International
Principal Schroeder and her staff are already busy preparing to accommodate the many needs of their students in 2012. They are accepting donations of money or items.
Donate Online:
Donate Cash or Check By Mail:
James Sales Elementary
c/o Franklin Pierce Foundation
315 129th St South
Tacoma, WA 98444
Donate Items By Mail or Drop-Off:
View James Sales' WISH LIST
Collage of the film crew working with students for the taping on January 5.