In a display of community spirit, Forest Park Elementary School has not only met but surpassed its ambitious goal of collecting 300+ toys for the South Colonie Toys for Tots program. The school, known for its tight-knit community, rallied together to make a significant impact on to support the district’s long standing partnership of providing toys to families in need.
“From our initial announcement in early November, Forest Park staff set an ambitious target for our 2023 Toys for Tots drive,” said principal William Luke. “The goal was to collect 300 or more toys to bring joy to children during the holiday season. Our final count revealed that Forest Park not only met but exceeded our goal by 175 toys for a total of 475 and counting! We could not be more proud.”
In a bid to celebrate this achievement, the school has planned a special event—a school-wide pajama, popcorn and movie activity on Tuesday, Nov. 21.
Students and staff alike will come together in their favorite sleepwear, turning the school into a festive sea of pajamas. The entire student population will gather in the cafeteria to enjoy a movie while enjoying some fresh, hot popcorn. The pajama day serves as a lighthearted way to acknowledge the hard work and generosity that made the toy drive such a success.
“I want to thank our Forest Park school community for coming together to support this cause,” said Luke. “I also want to recognize the efforts of Mrs. Kuno, who provided daily tally updates on ParentSquare to keep the message and mission alive with families. She also, along with Franklin the Turkey–created and shared occasional video updates as well, including this masterpiece.”
Forest Park’s success in the Toys for Tots program goes beyond the number of toys collected; it reflects the compassionate and giving nature of the entire school community. The initiative not only brightens the holiday season for local children but also instills a sense of pride and unity among Forest Park students and staff.
The district wide Toys for Tots program will kick off with Forest Park students stuffing the bus on Monday, Nov. 27 at 9:30am.