Glenbard students grateful for the help

Dear Glenbard High School District 87 community: Thank you for supporting the Glenbard West English Language Learners (ELL) sweatshirt project. Once again all eighty-five ELL students received a brand new Glenbard West hooded sweatshirt. As the sweatshirts were handed out this year the atmosphere was the same as the previous two years. The students were confused in the beginning as I explained who helped fund these gifts and why the ELL Program is an important element of the high school. The students wondered why total strangers wanted to give them something, but after they realized it was a gift from people who care about our school and community and that each one of them would be going home with a popular sweatshirt, the atmosphere turned festive and joyously loud. Now as we are back to hitting the books and the weather is below freezing, I get to look around the classroom and see many of the students wearing their beautiful hoodies. It is evident that the students feel proud to be part of a school and community that would reach out to them and as a bonus they are cozy and warm, too. Thank you for helping make this holiday special for the West ELL students. This was a community effort, and it is heartwarming to have so many people jump on this bandwagon for these students. I was concerned at the beginning of this project knowing that the economic times are challenging and we had the additional challenge of purchasing more sweatshirts than the past two years. But once again it was proved that we live in a caring, generous and compassionate community. Thank you again and Happy 2009 to you and yours,

Patti Denney

Glenbard West High School

ELL community liaison