The Mississippi School of the Arts (MSA) has many student-led clubs and activities on campus fueled by the wants and needs of the students. For the past five years, students have held a haunted house, Artoberfest, for the community. For three years, the students elected to use the proceeds from the event to help those in need. On the night of December 6, the children of Berean Children’s Home attended a special Christmas celebration that was facilitated by the MSA students and their sponsor, Sandra “Sudie” Palomarez.
The Berean Children’s Home provided a list of requested items for each child. MSA students and their sponsor purchased gifts from that list and wrapped each child’s gifts. MSA staff member, Benny Knight, was Santa Claus to deliver the gifts and hear from the children. MSA students sang carols, read stories, and spent time one on one with the children. There was an elf, John Hollins, and an angel, Piper Bott, to help Santa with the gifts. The children enjoyed cookies and punch before attending a performance from the MSA Dance Department’s Excerpts of The Nutcracker.
Nearly $3000 was earned as part of Artoberfest and was spent to make the children’s holiday special. Both agencies were so thankful to be able to meet each other. This is the second time MSA students have benefitted children from Berean Children’s Home. Additional organizations who have received support from MSA students’ efforts are the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital and Dickerson Place Children’s Home. MSA students average 105 hours per month of community service.
Contact: Jennifer Jackson by calling 601-823-1306 or email jennifer.jackson@msabrookhaven.org
