Cato-Meridian Middle School students worked together to help others through the holiday season and beyond!

Once again, our kids have shown how sincere they are by making sure that those less fortunate than themselves, get some much needed help. They remind all of us to try to put ourselves in the #"shoes" of others, and to show empathy to all. It is satisfying to see how diligently these young people work toward their goals.

In the holiday spirit of giving, our students performed many acts of generosity, always thinking about others. In one of their many examples of being generous, fifth-grade students from my class helped The Salvation Army by participating in their annual bell ringing.

By giving up their family's holiday preparations on the Saturday before Christmas, these responsible kids braved the freezing temperatures of the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Auburn.

We had a lot of fun while helping such a charitable cause, and happenings like this represent how the kids are willing and able to help many people.

Our efforts were unsuspectedly increased by Wal-Mart, when they announced that they would match the total donations raised by The Salvation Army during that entire week preceding the holiday.

We have a few special people that we would like to thank. First, thank you to all the parents, for giving up their time and helping the kids to help others. Of course, thank you to Wal-Mart, and all the great people of our greater community who gave generously to our cause.

Led by seventh-grade social studies teacher John Zopf, and fifth-grade teacher Kathy Dudley, the student body of our middle school has begun collecting funds for the victims of the tsunami, which occurred on the day after Christmas in Southeast Asia.

The students are encouraged to give however much they can, and many of them have forgone their ice cream and cookie snacks to help those poor people in need.

Dudley#'s class hosted a hat day for the entire middle school, and raised more than $400, which was then matched by an anonymous community member, bringing the total to nearly $900! Mrs. Koziol#'s class has worked on a bake sale, adding to our total. Each homeroom also has a collection jar for the students to give.

Zopf has constructed a gauge by which the students are marking the amount of money collected with the goal being at least one penny for each person lost in the tsunami.

The container is currently located in the middle school office, and is filled with lentil beans representing each of the lives lost. The total from all of the students' efforts will be donated to the Red Cross in Auburn to send overseas.

The numbers of amazing stories of our great kids flourish, and it brings a tear to my eye to know how much they care. I love having the opportunity to be with these kids and see how truly special they are.

Dennis C. Taylor is a fifth-grade teacher in the Cato-Meridian Middle School