The Christmas break from academics began brightly for the Wellington Christian School high school SWAP (Students with a Purpose) team as they traveled west to the First Haitian Baptist Church of Belle Glade. Sixteen teens and five adult staff members had a “play date” with 70 bright-eyed, happy elementary children enrolled in Pastor St. Hilliare’s after-school program.
The highly anticipated field trip included several hours of outdoor play and interaction, followed by refreshments and Christmas caroling. According to SWAP Team coordinator Janet Ratty, a goodbye highlight came when the children and church staff spontaneously sang “We Want to Wish You a Merry Christmas” in Creole. The school would like to thank its students’ families, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Publix for donating soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, jump ropes, educational games and food to the project.
WCS staff and students plan to continue their support of this community outreach program and are excited about Pastor St. Hilliare’s strategy of training and using past participants as young adult counselors. This plan gives hope that the program, designed to keep children safe, focused on school and established in their faith, will continue for many years to come.
Wellington Christian School is a ministry of Wellington Presbyterian Church, serving more than 500 students from preschool through 12th grade.
For more information about WCS, call (561) 793-1017 or visit the school’s web site at www.wellingtonchristian.org.
Above: Wellington Christian School’s SWAP team.
