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Santa Claus pays visit to Austintown Elementary students
AUSTINTOWN
As Austintown Elementary School student Bryan Fleshman stood in line to meet Santa Claus, he confessed he was a little nervous.
“I’m not ready for Christmas yet,” said Bryan, a red Santa hat perched on his head and green face paint coating his cheeks.
The second-grader was one of the school’s approximately 1,000 students who got to meet Santa on Wednesday, thanks to the school’s Parent Teacher Association. An annual Santa Claus visit is a school tradition.
“We try to bring in any kind of fun or educational activities that we can,” said PTA president Bethany Martinez. “Some of the kids, it’s the only time they’re going to get to see Santa.”
A flurry of holiday happenings took place districtwide over the last few weeks. The intermediate school also got a visit from Santa this week, thanks to the PTA there. AIS and AES both hosted a “Santa’s Shop” for students.
Also, the Fitch High School band and choir have performed throughout the district in the lead-up to winter break, which begins Friday.
At the AES event, Santa – well, three Santas shared the responsibility – visited each class, where students got to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. The classes then gathered for a group photo with Saint Nick.
Second-grader Brianna Wright, a shy grin lighting up her face, told Santa she wants cribs for her baby dolls. She was excited she got to meet him, she said.
At first, Lanyra Marlowe, also in second grade, wasn’t sure what items she was going to ask Santa to bring her.
A few seconds later, however, she exclaimed: “I know what I want! Some new shoes.”
While Bryan was excited to meet Santa and give him his Christmas list – a wrestling video game was No. 1 on that list – the second-grader faced a dilemma: He had not yet cleaned his bedroom to make room for this year’s Christmas gifts.
That didn’t put a damper on his Christmas spirit, however.
“It’s my favorite time of the year,” he said.