Christmas Comes Early for More Than 400 GGUSD Kindergarten Students

Two Pacifica students dressed as elves.

On Wednesday, December 20, Pacifica High School hosted more than 400 kindergarten students at the school’s annual Adopt-A-Child event where Pacifica high school seniors were paired up with kindergartners who they “adopt” for a morning of gift-giving, cookie decorating, games, train rides, photos with Santa Claus, and other holiday fun.

Adopt-A-Child has been a Pacifica winter tradition for more than 30 years.  This year, kindergarten students from schools with the highest percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunch, which include Clinton, Eisenhower, Hazard, Heritage, Russell, Simmons, and Violette elementary schools, participated in the event.

The school’s gymnasium was transformed into Santa’s Village as the senior class, ASB, and other school clubs partnered together to host the festivities.  The maintenance staff joins in on the fun becoming Santa’s helpers for the day as they help assemble toys for the children.  The high school seniors enjoy buying gifts for the kindergarten students and seeing the looks on their faces as they open the gifts. 

“Pacifica’s Adopt-A-Child brings out the best in our students as the high school seniors learn the value of giving back to young children in need” said Teri Rocco, Board of Education trustee. “I look forward to this event each year because the gymnasium radiates with the Christmas spirit and the eyes of both the high schools seniors and their adopted kindergartners glow with excitement.”