Have you ever wanted to…sponsor a student for the holidays?

Instead of asking for things I don’t really need, I decided to give my Christmas to someone who truly does. Sponsoring a student for the holidays has always been a goal of mine and this year seemed to be just right. After I spent a week of my summer on a mission trip to Haiti, I knew that I had to find a way to give back to those kids.

High Hopes for Haiti was founded in 1997 to help the people who are living in poverty in Haiti by empowering them through education. As part of the sponsor program, I will be able to provide for a young child at the Good Samaritans School in St. Marc, Haiti, which is where I spent my time.

The sponsorship covers the student’s tuition, school supplies, meals, and preventative medical and dental care. Even though it’s just one student out of many, it provides them with a sense of hope and an opportunity to learn American culture.

Christmas is about doing what matters most. This year, the one child that gets to go to school is the most important thing for me. There are so many opportunities to give and make a difference in someone’s life right here in our community. Christmas is notorious for being chaotic and crazy, but reflecting on the important things is what really matters.

Although sponsoring a student has always been an idea on my bucket list, it’s not one to just cross off. I plan to keep the sponsorship going and do anything I can to further their education. Sponsoring a student this year is giving a very small piece of myself, which could be a huge difference in someone else’s life.

Hanna LeBuhn is a Lifestyles editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.