John Baxter

Valley View eighth grade students Chandler Means, Christine Franklin, and Daniel Hibbard help put together the gift packages for seven Simi Valley families.

John Baxter

Valley View PTSA members Lulu Means (left) and Judi Hibbard organize the $1600 worth of gift cards going to the families.

A funny thing happened this year with Valley View's Christmas gift collection. The donations rose over five times last year's gift giving. The difference, according to Judi Hibbard, Valley View PTSA chairperson, was who received the gifts. In past years a gift-giving box, placed in the school's main office, was filled and the donations collected were then sent to an organization that distributed the presents. This year Valley View Parent Teacher Student Association decided to adopt five local families in need and groups of classrooms were each assigned one of the families. The response by parents, teachers and students was overwhelming.Monetary donations in the form of gift cards to grocery stores, clothing stores and department stores total over $1600 alone. The gift collection, too, was unexpected. "This is our seventh year collecting gifts for the holidays," said Judi. "This year far exceeded any of our expectations."The gifts filled the tables on one side of Valley View's multipurpose room. "This to me is what the holidays are all about," said Lulu Means PTSA volunteer. This year teachers and students knew how many people in the family, their ages, gender and most importantly what gifts -- which were basic needs -- they needed most. Sometimes they knew something about the family's situation. Judi says this made a big impact as to whether or not a family donated. She fought back her emotions when explaining that there was so much donated that Valley View decided to adopt two more families bringing the total to seven families adopted."This is something we have to continue," said Judi.Even students were surprised at the generous response. "I didn't think we were going to get that much because when you looked in the classroom boxes, there were just a few items in each box," said eighth grader Christine Franklin. "But, when you put them all together the response was overwhelming."Many students like Daniel Hibbard were glad to be a part of the experience. "I feel helpful, but I'm sad that there are people like this out there," said Daniel "It makes me feel thankful for what we have."