Santa Rewards Pupils for Plea to Aid Homeless

Santa Claus arrived in Santa Paula on Monday a little behind schedule, but students at Grace S. Thille School didn’t mind.

The jovial old man with the white beard paid a surprise visit to students in Katie Miller’s first- and second-grade class Monday morning, bearing gifts and good cheer.

As Santa entered the classroom, students jumped to their feet and cheered excitedly. “He’s got a big stomach,” squealed Nancy Ramos, 7.

Santa’s visit came in response to letters the students had written to St. Nick back in December. The 32 students in Miller’s class had asked for presents, not for themselves, but for the homeless and the poor.

A San Francisco man who saw the letters on display at the U.S. Postal Service’s Western regional office was so moved by them that he later contacted their teacher.

The donor, who asked to remain anonymous, told Miller that he wanted to do something special for the children and ended up buying them more than $500 worth of baseball equipment, including gloves, bats, helmets and balls.

The nameless philanthropist was unable to visit the school Monday, and so Miller’s husband, Steve, offered to fill in as Santa Claus for the day and deliver the presents.

“Look at this!” said an excited Paul Villareal, 6, as he tore open a package that contained a Bo Jackson-model baseball glove. “Cool.”

Some students could not believe their good fortune. At the back of the room, Monica Michel and Amber Espinoza, both 7, engaged in a serious debate over whether Santa Claus really existed.

“I don’t believe it,” Amber said.

“I do,” Monica said, “because he brings us presents.”

Principal Norah Byrom didn’t have any doubts, either.

“It was such a surprise,” she said of Monday’s event. “We were wondering if this was really going to happen, if this man was real. And here it is coming true. . .. There is a Santa Claus.”

Miller said she was proud of her students because they had written the letters to Santa Claus with the intent of helping others.

Many of the children, mostly Latino and from low-income families, had seen pictures of homeless people on television and wondered how they made it through the heavy rains that deluged the area in December, their teacher said.

“They were asking a lot of questions about people who lived in the riverbeds in Ventura and what happens to them when it rains and floods,” Miller said.

So when the pupils wrote letters to Santa Claus, they decided to ask for food and clothing for the poor and shelter for the homeless, Miller said.

“They asked Santa if he could please give something if not for the homeless, something for somebody else in their family that they knew was really needy,” Miller said.

In early January, Miller said she got a call from the man in San Francisco.

“He said he had read a lot of letters, but that these kids’ letters were so touching that he really wanted to do something for them,” Miller said. “He asked, ‘What do they want?’ ”

So the children got together to talk it over. “There were a couple of kids who said, ‘Well, have him give me a bike,’ ” Miller said. But after a while the class decided that what it would really like was some tee-ball equipment.

As for the students’ request on behalf of the poor and the homeless, Miller said the philanthropist told her he also plans to carry out their wishes in some form.

Before the students opened their gifts, Miller read a letter from the students’ special friend.

“Let me first apologize for being so late this year with deliveries,” the letter began.

“My reindeer were quite exhausted and needed rest. . . . I was very touched by all your letters to me, especially the concern you showed for others. Enclosed, please find something for all of the class to share. Ho, Ho, Ho--love and best wishes, Santa Claus.”

Miller stood beaming as the students rushed to open their presents.

“I’m really excited for the kids,” she said. “I don’t think they will ever forget this. For me, as a teacher, this is the best gift ever.”