This beautifully glittering piece of work is the focal point of the school’s lobby and is used to collect gifts from students to be donated to children in need this holiday season.

“I was really excited to see the tree again this year,” said sophomore Karissa M. “The ornaments and lights are very pretty.”

Along with ornaments and brilliant lights, the tree is also covered with tags bearing messages like “Mall Gift Certificate ($20)” or “5 Year Old Female, Size 6 Clothes.” Students take these tags and fulfill the requests, leaving the thoughtful gifts in a box next to the tree.

The presents are then delivered by van to Bridges, a local community support center, to children in need.

“[Bridges] sets up a list for us and we make tags for what they need,” said Ms. Bouchard, National Honor Society advisor. “The number of kids and presents depends on the list that they give us.”

This is Bouchard’s third year working with the National Honor Society on the Giving Tree project. The position was previously in the charge of Mrs. Pallanti, the English Department Head.

The 2005 Giving Tree collected a multitude of gifts which went to less fortunate children. This year, however, the club is looking forward to even more support from the school.

Unfortunately, this support is not always offered. The Giving Trees of past years have been successful but have still left many tags ignored, dangling from their branches.

Others associated with the club, however, are aware of another problem even more upsetting than this one.

“It’s disappointing [when the tags aren’t taken], but even more so when people take the tags and don’t return a gift,” said Bouchard. “What if that gift was the one the child really wanted or needed?”

Despite both of these concerns, the students have continually come through, providing presents for 20 children last year.

This year there are 39 children in need on the list delivered by Bridges and Bouchard is optimistic, hoping for about 160 gifts from this collection. The children she will be collecting for range in age from three months to 17 years.

Students at Jonathan Law have graciously taken up this cause as their own and have donated items to the Giving Tree box.

Although many Law students are almost totally overwhelmed by activities and classes, they still manage to donate to those who have less than they have. It is very encouraging for National Honor Society members to see students responding positively to the drive.

“I’m really glad we did [the Giving Tree project],” said junior Adarsha S.