North Attleboro High School seniors Kaeleigh Folan and Addison Vezina recently concluded an impactful holiday drive.
NAHS Principal Peter Haviland praised the initiative, calling it “one of the most successful and well-run holiday drives that I’ve been a part of.”
The donation drive, known as Project Smile, brought together students, staff and local schools to collect stuffed animals, books and winter necessities for children in need. The campaign ran from the first week of December through the holiday break and was supported by schools across the district, including:
- Roosevelt Avenue Elementary School
- Amvet Boulevard School
- Falls Elementary School
- Joseph W. Martin Elementary School
- North Attleborough Middle School
- North Attleborough High School
The team of juniors and seniors spearheading the initiative decorated collection boxes with festive wrapping paper and attached eye-catching flyers to each. These boxes were placed at participating schools to encourage donations from students, parents and staff.
Reflecting on the drive’s success, Folan shared, “It went really well. We got a lot of good feedback from the schools and staff.”
Vezina explained the inspiration behind Project Smile, how it started by donating stuffed animals to the police station. Folan added that the shift in donations ended during the pandemic. Determined to continue their efforts, Vezina noted, “We wanted to do something that included the whole community.”
As a senior, Folan is passing the torch to the juniors who will continue the initiative next year.
“Our team was equally made of juniors and seniors, so next year the current juniors will take over and continue it,” she said.
When asked about adjustments for the future, Vezina suggested the need for bigger or additional boxes to accommodate the generosity of donors. Both students emphasized the importance of spreading the word to ensure the success of community initiatives.
“The biggest hurdle is getting the word out,” said Vezina. “We used social media, and it worked really well.”
Reflecting on the impact of the drive, Vezina added, “It inspired me. We started with just ourselves… but everyone joined in to give so much.”
Folan agreed, noting, “Even just a stuffed animal can make a difference in a kid’s life.”
