Students, teachers and parents at area schools have done their part for area people in need by giving back in a number of ways.

From the elementary school level to the high school, students have taken it upon themselves to make Christmas a time of giving by doing exactly that -- giving.

Assistance was offered perhaps most impressively by the youngest enrolled in area public schools, beginning at one Laurinburg elementary school.

The children of I. Ellis Johnson Elementary School met and exceeded canned food drive goals twice in the past two months, in the end donating over 1800 items to the Church Community Services organization of Laurinburg.

Amy Dawkins, a guidance counselor at the school, originally set the goal at 1000 canned food items, and that initial goal was met within two weeks.

Chief among the school's contributors were the students of Jennifer Locklear's class, who managed to donate 606 items to the cause.

At the middle school level, Spring Hill Middle School also held a canned food drive to aid those in need. With class spirit fueling the effort, the eleven students of the "Crusaders" team won by bringing in the most items.

Scotland County Schools spokesman Andy Cagle emphasized the importance of giving, not only for the benefit it brings to those who receive, but also because of the lesson it teaches the students who take part.

Not to be left out, Scotland High School also adopted the community spirit, beginning with the school's choirs. During the SHS Choirs' annual Holiday Concert on Dec. 18 canned goods were collected in large number at the doors, all to be given to Church Community Services' food bank.

The event was billed by the sponsoring SHS School of Visual and Performing Arts as an opportunity for residents to "support the choir students and (the) community."

At the high school's School of Leadership and Public Service help was being offered on a more personal level.

Thanks to concerned students like the JROTC's Joy'eshia Brown, three families in need were supplied with food and other useful supplies for the Holiday Season.

"We gave them ham, chicken, canned goods and other household supplies, then fed them and wished them a Merry Christmas," Brown said following a presentation at the school attended by county and SHS administrators.

The Christmas Cheer project, as it was called, was led by the JROTC department in coordination with the Church Community Services organization.