This year, Amador Valley High School has revived its longstanding tradition of participating in the Adopt-a-Family program. This heartwarming initiative allows students and staff to bring joy to families in need by purchasing gifts during the holiday season.
“So Adopt-a-Family is a program where schools are encouraged—either by department or as a whole school depending on the financial capabilities of that school’s population—to adopt a family in a literal sense,” said ASB teacher Hannah Davies.
Overcoming Challenges Post-COVID
After the pandemic, restarting this tradition came with some challenges. Previously, each teacher would adopt a family and collect donations from all their class periods. This year, the structure shifted to have each department adopt a family and gather donations through their fourth-period classes.
“Initially, we ran into a little bit of a speed bump because, in a sort of fortunate accident, right before we submitted our Adopt-a-Family wants—where we requested one family per department—another organization came in and took every family on that organization’s list. So we had to wait a little bit to get our new list of families. It was definitely a learning curve, so we’ll be more prepared next year,” said Davies.
Inspiring Generosity Across Campus
Despite these setbacks, the program successfully brought the holiday spirit to Amador Valley’s campus. Each family’s wish list shared touching stories, often requesting essential items like winter coats, clothing, and toys or hobby supplies. Students and staff alike embraced the opportunity to make a difference.
“I just thought that, you know, why not give what I have to someone who needed it?” said Titilayo Fayanju (‘28).
The program also encouraged the community to reflect on the importance of giving, reminding students and teachers of their ability to help those less fortunate.
“I think it goes, like, above and beyond just Christmas and thinking about those who are maybe less fortunate than us all the time because we live such privileged lives. And even when our privileged lives seem hard, we want to remind ourselves that really, like, there are those who don’t even have the things that we do,” said AV teacher Delise Anderson.
Spreading Holiday Cheer
Adopt-a-Family has become a meaningful way for Amador Valley to raise holiday spirit while fostering compassion and generosity. By reintroducing this tradition, the school has provided an easy way for its community to give back and make a tangible impact.
