LATROBE, PA—The Education Department, part of the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Saint Vincent College, held SVC Wraps for Kids on Saturday, Dec 10, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the Department shopped for 62 children this year.
The event was brought back with a new partnership between the Education Department and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Throughout the year, students of the Department hold fundraisers through the various Education clubs and collect monetary donations from individuals interested in supporting this wrapping service. Big Brothers and Big Sisters provided the names and wish lists of children who could benefit form support over the holidays.
Dr. Kathy Beining spearheads the full department effort. Each year, the faculty, staff and students of the Education Department shop and wraps gifts for children from a list of their wishes, adding a stuffed stocking, popcorn and an ornament. Dr. Beining and her colleagues feel this service project is as important for the preservice teachers as it is for the children.
“It is important for teachers, even teachers in training, to understand that all children don’t always have everything they need and surely not everything they want,” said Dr. Beining. “It is important to realize as a teacher that you need to help care for day to day needs as well as their educational needs.”
This one-day event includes an early-morning shopping trip to Walmart and then an afternoon wrapping party in the Environmental Learning Barn at the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve. Dr. Beining explained that this event is not only something the students look forward to and feel good about, but it’s also something that stays with them as they graduate and become teachers: several SVC Education Department alumni have started similar programs in the schools they are teaching in, in and outside of PA.
“The department is proud that [we] are not only teaching skilled educators, but empathetic ones. At the end of the semester, it is a unifying service to the community that is good for everyone,” added Dr. Beining.
Many departments, clubs, groups and individuals from the SVC community have joined in to support this effort, as well as alumni, friends and family, and non-SVC Community members. Dr. Beining and the Department already started planning and fundraising for next year. If you would like to help, reach out to Dr. Beining by phone at 724-805-2981 or email at kathleen.beining@stvincent.edu.