South Houston Elementary School kindergarten teacher Rosie Leal peered out of her classroom as she waited anxiously for her students to arrive. Everything was in place, as tinsel, confetti and good cheer decorated the hallways and every desk in all the classrooms held a backpack filled with goodies.

Finally, the excited eyes, smiling faces and eager hands of her unexpecting students rushed into the classroom, and she watched the magic unfold right before her eyes—again.

Years ago as an elementary school student at South Houston, Leal had the same magical experience her students received yesterday — “A Visit from Saint Nicholas.”

“A Visit from Saint Nicholas” is a charitable project coordinated by Volunteer Houston that provides gifts to disadvantaged children throughout the Bay Area and Houston areas. Bay Area contributors to date include Boeing Houston Employee Community Fund, Chevron, Cimarron, Crowder Foundation, Dow Fence, Rohm and Haas, Wal-Mart, United Space Alliance and many more.

Recipient schools in the area include those with a majority of students qualifying for the free and reduced lunch program, and each student receives a transparent-colored backpack filled with books and toys.

“As a child, I can remember walking into the school and seeing all of the decorations all over the floor throughout every hallway, and I can still see my face of amazement,” Leal remembered. “As I walked into my classroom, I noticed there were backpacks on every desk, and I couldn’t believe that I was actually getting a gift. It was such a great feeling.”

For the past 17 years, hundreds of volunteers from Volunteer Houston Bay Area have been making holiday dreams come true for Pasadena ISD students. Even in her fifth year of watching her own students experience this magical day, Leal said every year feels like the first year she was a part of the event.

“My heart begins to beat really fast, and it really seems as though I’m reliving my childhood again,” Leal said. “Almost all of our students come from economically disadvantaged families, so you can imagine how wonderful and exciting it is for us to receive gifts from St. Nick. It’s an amazing feeling to see them enjoy this wonderful day.”

On the evening of Dec. 5, volunteers from Volunteer Bay Area come to the school and decorate it so the students are surprised the moment they walk through the school’s doors on Dec. 6. Just as dedicated elves do, the volunteers pack each backpack with care and travel the school ensuring each student receives a backpack stuffed so full with toys and books that it can’t be zipped.

“Seventeen years of celebrating the arrival of St. Nick weaves the past, present and future into a beautiful tapestry of memories,” said the school’s principal Dr. Karen Holt. “The St. Nick legend continues to live on because of these volunteers as they continue to fire the imagination, touch the heart and inspire the dreams of thousands of underprivileged students in the Houston area.”

Volunteers return on Dec. 6 to share in the joy and excitement with the students as they open their gifts, and Holt said it is the greatest part of the event.

“It is so rewarding to watch the volunteers experience the joy of giving to others through the eyes of our students,” she said. “Something that may seem so simple has great significance to our students, and they are so appreciative. Tears of joy in the eyes of volunteers, teachers and parents are not unusual as they watch the students open their presents. It is truly more rewarding to give than to receive.”

For the last two years, Holt and Leal have told their story at the Volunteer Houston Bay Area St. Nick kick-off event held in November, and this year, they were invited to speak to guests at the Volunteer Houston main event recently held at the Chevron building in Downtown Houston. Tina Brown, director of Volunteer Houston Bay Area, said Leal’s story shows the true heart of this event and the volunteers who make it happen.

“Listening to Rosie talk about being a recipient of the project as a child, and now watching her students receive the same backpacks from St. Nick is a truly emotional moment for me and the entire committee,” Brown said. “She is proof the project does make a difference in a child’s life.”

Volunteer Houston co-chair committee member and ABC-13 anchor Melanie Lawson said seeing the looks on the faces of the kids as they walk through their school’s doors is priceless and is a tribute to what this project does for kids throughout Houston and Bay Area.

“This event makes such a difference in the lives of so many kids,” said Lawson. “It’s important for community members to play a role in the lives of our students because it shows our kids how much we value them. That, in turn, encourages them to value themselves and others.”

Aside from receiving generous gifts, Lawson said this is a wonderful opportunity for these students to learn there are people who care about them outside of their immediate families.

“We want our students to know how great it is to give to someone else and how important they are to our community,” said Lawson. “We want them to grow up to be confident, loving, productive citizens who know they’re part of a wonderful city. And from them, we can learn that even the smallest gift can make a big difference in the lives of someone else.”

This year, St. Nick visited 30 schools in greater Houston allowing a total of 10,000 students to benefit from the program. In Pasadena ISD alone, 1,450 students received gifts. Kruse Elementary students have been on St. Nick’s list for the last 17 years, and the school’s principal Rosie Prusz said it is a very special time for her students and their families.

“St. Nick’s arrival brings a little magic, excitement and wonder into the world of our students,” said Prusz. “This event is special for our parents as well because they appreciate the experience and the gifts given to their children, especially if they would not be able to provide such a wonderful treats.”

L.F. Smith Elementary is also a recipient school in Pasadena ISD, and the school’s principal Cathy Danna said this day is a great equalizer for the students.

“This day allows our students to have the joy and delight of a Christmas morning they might not otherwise ever experience,” Danna said. “When you see our kids’ eyes light up, you can’t help but realize what a huge difference this project makes. It isn’t just the gifts—it is also realizing that someone out there cared enough about them to take the time to make their day special.”

To help make a difference through next year’s project, contact Brown at 281-282-6034 or e-mail her at tinab@volunteerhouston.org.