Students reflect on Christmas in poverty

By: Britt Combs | McDowell News
Published: December 20, 2009

There was hardly a dry eye in the house Thursday night when members of the McDowell County Board of Education heard a moving Christmas story and offered a special prayer for children who suffer in poverty, ignorance and neglect.
The board re-elected all its officers and finalized a contract for solar power at three schools.
The board met for its regular December meeting later than usual, to coincide with the return of two superintendents and a board member from the People's Republic of China.
Teacher Emily Elkins from West Marion Elementary brought two fourth-graders to share their reflections on a moving Christmas story the class had read and studied. "December" by Eve Bunting and David Diaz is the story of Simon, who has taken shelter in a cardboard box with his mother for Christmas.
The pair sit in the dark in the cold box and try to make Christmas as festive as possible. Simon tells of the pair's struggles to have anything to eat for Christmas supper. When an old woman asks for shelter, Simon shares what he has, and later comes to suspect the old woman is an angel.
Elkins's students, Bekah Bryan and Brooklyn Woody, read essays they had written after reflecting on the story.
"This book made me want to take action to help the poor and to tell them to have faith in God," said Brooklyn.
"After I read 'December,'" added Bekah, "I felt very blessed and thankful."
She told how members of her church had spent the night in cardboard boxes to more truly know the plight of the homeless.
The kids also constructed a cardboard shelter in the floor of the boardroom to give their telling a greater impact. There were few who were unmoved after the recitation.
When Chairwoman Priscilla Owenby asked the board's clerk, Charlie Holland Mace, to lead the invocation. Mace said she had been searching for a certain prayer that day, not knowing that the West Marion kids would be sharing their "December" impressions.
Choking back a tear, she offered a prayer of blessing for children who play in dangerous places, are alone in the morning and after school and who are neglected by parents who are forced to work long hours.
It being the end of the year, nominations were called for to fill the offices of chairman and vice chairman, as well as board secretary, board clerk and board attorney.
The holders of those positions were all nominated and re-appointed unopposed. Priscilla Owenby, Wayne Miller, Superintendent Ira Trollinger, Mace and Chris Campbell, respectively, will continue those offices in 2010.
Campbell told the board that the requisite advertisement period had been fulfilled and with that the board voted to finalize the contract with FLS Energy of Asheville to lease roof space at McDowell High School, Marion Elementary and East McDowell Junior High for locating solar panels belonging to FLS. In exchange, FLS will provide hot water at those schools.
Trollinger presented each board member with a book and a few gifts from his recent trip to China. He said he, Owenby and Associate Superintendent Mike Murray visited Peking's Forbidden City and walked the Great Wall.
The three took the trip at invitation from representatives of The Confucius Institute, a Chinese organization that promoted Chinese language and cultural exchange globally. The Institute has promised to send Chinese language teachers to McDowell for three years at no cost to the local school system.
Trollinger promised a report on the China trip at the board's January meeting.

Students reflect on Christmas in poverty

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