Kingman Middle School Students Putting Smiles on Needy Children's Faces Thanks to Caring Art Teacher

KINGMAN - Dec. 12, 2007 - If a holiday is fast approaching, there's one thing you can be sure of - the students in Terry Dolan's White Cliffs Middle School art classes are hard at work on some type of project marking the season.

That in itself is pretty common. But what's not nearly as common is the holiday project's end result. Each item produced by Dolan's students is bringing much needed holiday cheer to a child who really needs it - a child temporarily housed at the Kingman Aide to Abused People (KAAP) Shelter.

Dolan, a middle school teacher for the past 30 years, has found a way to channel her students' creativity into a way of helping KAAP's children. For the past 14 years, her students have made holiday buckets, stockings or bags for the Halloween, Christmas and Easter seasons.

Utilizing all the creativity their young minds can muster, the students paint and design each project. Then -- with help from the entire Kingman community via grants and donations - each item is filled with candies, toys, ornaments and gifts for a child at KAAP.

"The spirit of giving is evident when you visit my room and see the students engaged in the plans, designs and wrapping," Dolan explained. "Some people shy away from this age group and find (the students) difficult. I say just the opposite is true.

"Once inspired, (these students) can become an immoveable force. They receive great rewards while being creative, compassionate problem solvers."

Parents also get to play a part, joining Dolan to shop for the goodies needed to fill the buckets, stockings or bags.

Beyond just creating a sense of community and love for giving within her students, Dolan said the project also teaches her students about preserving the environment.

"A part of my project teaches students to recycle," Dolan said. "We use large tin food cans from our cafeteria. The cafeteria crew knows to save them for us."

It's a classic win-win creating holiday spirit throughout the Kingman community.