SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS — Members of Steubenville High School’s Rotary Interact Club joined their adviser, Scott Lane, and visited Harding Middle School Tuesday to give a student an unforgettable Christmas. Rotary Interact members who helped give gifts to Harding pupil Jimmy Suder included, from left, Jacob Christian, Aiden Davis, Landon Crosier, Suder, Lane, Natalia Lulla, Gabriella Vein, Natalie Romanyak, Tessa Rusnak and Assistant Principal Jennifer Agresta. -- Julie Stenger

STEUBENVILLE — When we think of Christmas, our thoughts immediately turn to presents placed underneath a brightly lit, decorated tree, and envision smiles on the faces of children as they open the exact gift they had whispered into Santa’s ear as they sat on his lap.

We envision … perfection.

However, that is not always the case.

Circumstances are different for everyone, and not every child receives a carefully wrapped surprise on Christmas morning.

Perhaps no one understands that better than Steubenville High School instructor Scott Lane.

Lane is a ninth-grade American history teacher and instructs students in the school’s broadcast journalism class. He also serves as the adviser of the Rotary Interact Club, a volunteer organization.

For the past nine years, Lane has continued to make a difference in the life of one local child during the holiday season.

He explained he began the annual Give a Kid a Christmas program because every child deserves to have that Goldilocks-type of Christmas they will always remember, one that is not too much, one that is not too little, but an experience that is just right.

The program is about giving someone who would not otherwise have that fairy-tale Christmas exactly that — at least one time in their life.

The selected student is one who attends Harding Middle School, he conveyed, saying they are chosen by Assistant Principal Jennifer Agresta, who knows each student and their situation firsthand.

Lane stated another criterion in the selection process is that the student must be an individual who tries their very best to succeed — day in, day out — no matter what their circumstances might be.

This year’s recipient was fifth-grader Jimmy Suder.

A few students involved in the Interact Club accompanied Lane to the middle school Tuesday morning. They gathered alongside Agresta on the bottom floor of the building to watch Suder open his gifts that Santa had placed underneath the tree outside the gymnasium.

Lane stated he asks each year’s recipient if they are a believer in Santa. If they respond, “yes,” he shares with them a secret about his friend from the North Pole.

“I have a deal with Santa Claus,” he tells the child. The deal is since they have been such a good student and have been trying their best to succeed at school, Santa wanted him and club members to drop off the gifts for them at school on his behalf.

“They all get so excited when they hear that,” he commented, saying it is a “very rewarding” experience.

So how does the program work?

Students involved in the club volunteer during their lunch period and sell hot chocolate to classmates and staff members. The hot chocolate is provided by Lane, so there are no out-of-pocket costs. All of the proceeds are put toward the purchase of gifts for the Harding student.

Agresta casually speaks with the selected student, who unbeknownst to them, tells her what they are interested in. The noted items are passed along to Lane, and club members then visit area stores such as TJ Maxx, Office Max and Dunham’s Sports.

Lane thanked the football team and head coach Reno Saccoccia and basketball coach Mike Haney, for donating Suder’s sporting apparel.

Lane explained his favorite part of the program is when the high school students are observing the recipient open his or her gifts, as was the case Tuesday.

Club members smiled as much, if not more, than Suder as he opened every gift. They made comments to him about each one and told them how much they liked what he had asked for.

Among the opened presents lay a sturdy backpack filled with school supplies, a basketball, Pokemon cards and merchandise, LEGOs, several Big Red T-shirts and long-sleeved shirts, Nike and Under Armor shirts and a Carhartt sweatshirt.

“Do you think that Santa had an elf in my office listening to you tell me everything that you wanted?” Agresta laughingly asked Suder.

Lane noted Suder was the perfect choice for this year’s Christmas giveaway.

“Jimmy was telling me about how he has pets at home,” he commented. “He was saying how he always tries to talk to stray animals and pet them but sometimes they are scared of people. Then he said, ‘But once they realize that I’m kind, they will come up to me and let me pet them.'”

Lane said the thought of Suder wanting to help homeless animals, along with his knowing that he is a good, kind-hearted person, makes him confident Agresta selected the best student for this program.

Agresta expressed her appreciation to Lane and members of the Interact Club for continuing to do this project for one of Harding’s students.

“They have made a lot of kids happy over the years,” she concluded.

Among the members at Suder’s Christmas celebration were Interact members Jacob Christian, Aiden Davis, Landon Crosier, Natalia Lulla, Gabriella Vein, Natalie Romanyak and Tessa Rusnak.

Lane noted his appreciation to everyone at the school who works together to make this program a reality — something he has always wanted to do for others since he was fortunate enough to have been blessed with happy Christmases as a child.

Lane mentioned he had always heard while growing up, attending school and working for the Steubenville City School District, about how the schools work together as a family.

“This exemplifies that,” he said while looking around the hallway at the scene playing out before him. “I feel like I’m at home,” he smiled. “He will remember this for the rest of his life.”