An angel tree is an event put on every year before Christmas in which people adopt an “angel”, a list of something a child has requested, and buy what is on their wish list. This year, Student Council teamed up with UNICEF to put on an angel tree for the district.

“We came up with the idea when we were at Focus On Education and I got to speak with other members of the community that usually throw it.” Student Council member Andrew Fritz said. “They were unable to throw it this year so I decided that Student Council and UNICEF should team up and throw one at Argyle High School.”

Organization for the event took weeks as members poured hours into finding what students wanted and transferring it to the angels which were strung on a tree. People all across the community then came out to “adopt” the angles.

“We identified families in need here in Argyle,” Student Council sponsor Daina Hunt said, “and then we had them complete forms for us with sizes of clothing they needed, sizes of shoes and then toy wishes that children had. We then put our tags together and held our event where other families in the community came out to adopt the angels and support them.”

The angel tree would not be possible without the support of community members.

“The goal of the angel tree was to give back to our community and take care of our community.” Hunt said, “All of the angel recipients are Argyle students and Argyle community members and we wanted to be able to take care of them.”

Those who came will forever remember the lives they impacted through this program.

“I think it’s great that the Student Council took it over,” said Karri Peschel, after purchasing her angels, “I hope that it will get a lot of the Argyle and especially the high school students involved.”

This holiday season gave the children who wouldn’t otherwise have a Christmas memory a wonderful Christmas getting them the Christmas presents they wanted.

“I think the program is wonderful,” Superintendent Telena Wright said.  “I think it gives young girls and young boys who wouldn’t have an opportunity to be remembered at Christmas a real opportunity to know that someone is thinking about them and wanting them to have a happy holiday.”

Because the project was such an undertaking, two groups, Student Council and UNICEF, collaborated to make this dream possible.

“Student Council and UNICEF have worked together in the past,” Hunt said. “We have very similar goals and we have come together in the past for several different events to support our community and to support a variety of causes.”

This event was so well received that the team is now making plans to do it in the future.

“It looks like the angel tree was a huge success,” said Hunt, “and knowing that, we’re hoping to do this as an annual event.”

The gifts are due on Dec. 10, and they will later be distributed to the families who requested the items. The angel tree represents the community in Argyle and what it is capable of doing. 

“I think it will make a difference in the lives of so many,” Wright said, “I think it will bring joy to the hearts of all the children and families who have angels during the Christmas season because of what the community has done.”