Photo Courtesy Of Spanish Honor Society
BY MELANIE SMITH
Spanish Club, the Student Government Association (SGA), faculty and students at CCHS made the holidays brighter for children at the Broward County Sexual Assault Treatment Center by giving them piñatas, gifts, and a holiday party during the month December.
For the past ten years, Debra Mensinger, a Spanish teacher and Spanish Club advisor at CCHS has had her club make homemade piñatas after school to benefit this cause. Those students who created piñatas received either extra credit in their Spanish Class or service hours.
“I wanted to make piñatas for a fun experience and to help others that would like to receive the piñata,” Spanish Club Member Julianne Lee said.
The piñata making process was a lengthy one that required a lot of time and effort. Students began with a blown up balloon, covered it with multiple layers of paper mâché, and then decorated them with multiple hues of tissue paper, which were rolled into balls and then glued on to the piñata. In total, Spanish Club made about 60 piñatas for the kids at the treatment center.
“While the main goal of Spanish Club and Spanish Honor Society is to learn about and experience other cultures and work on global projects, the members of the Spanish Club still feel that it is very important to help others in our own community. We feel that brightening the lives of abused children is an extremely worthy cause,” Mensinger Said
In addition to the piñatas, the kids at the treatment center were also given gifts. Teachers throughout the school were able to “adopt” a child that students could bring gifts/ money for. The week before winter break, SGA came around to collect and wrap the gifts.
“I adopt a child every year because I want my students to be aware that there are causes worth fighting for and so that they feel the joy in making a difference,” English Teacher Lisa Jones said.
In the end, SGA acted as the catalyst and ensured that everything got to the victims. A week before Christmas, a holiday party was thrown at the Sexual Assault Treatment Center. Decorations were enjoyed, games were played, and gifts/piñatas were distributed- all of which was to the ecstatic delight of the children and volunteers alike.
