On Dec. 1, the Leadership class and Arista National Honor Society kicked off their annual toy drive at Cardozo, where the two classes collect toys for those in need during the holiday season.
The event, which was first made an annual drive by the Leadership class, was brought about to spread holiday cheer to those who need it most. “The toy drive has been around for more than 20 years,” said Ms. Salisbury, the leadership advisor, instilling that this tradition has been a staple of Cardozo for decades.
In the past, all the toys accumulated from the toy drive were donated to a local children’s hospital. However, in more recent years, the hospital largely stopped accepting donated toys. Instead, it was suggested by Ms. Shea to donate the contributions to the Hillside House for Women and Children. Ms. Shea had previously worked with the shelter in the past. “We’ve been donating with them for the past three years,” said Ms. Salisbury.
This year, Arista board members Andrea Kim and Cailyn Chen helped bring the toy drive to the honor society to partner with Leadership. The two serve as the co-heads for community events in the 2025 to 2026 year.
Kim utilized her existing connection to Leadership, as she is a part of the organization, as well. She explained how they started “planning and organizing the event based on the requirements given to me by Mrs. Corporan, ARISTA president, and Mrs. Salisbury.”
Along with helping those in need, Arista members were able to collect points through helping with the toy drive. All Arista members, juniors and seniors alike, are required to acquire at least six points per semester. This is done through participating in events, which are typically community service events or charitable donation efforts. Recent opportunities to gain points in Arista were the canned food drive, setting up for the Cardozo College Fair, and the toy drive.
The toy drive serves as an opportunity for Arista members to gain a maximum of two points. Each toy donated earns the member half a point. Donations must be unopened and undamaged. If a member donates a damaged, used, or broken toy, they will not receive credit for it.
Leadership and Arista members collected toys in Room 151. Once the donation was collected, members were to record the donator’s OSIS and grade on a sign-in sheet. This year, dozens of toys were collected throughout the duration of the toy drive. After carefully organizing the toys, Cardozo students help to donate all of the items to the Hillside House for Women and Children.
“We don’t want to set a Goal since we don’t want people to stop donating once we reach that goal so we leave it open until the deadline closes,” Kim said. “I just hope more students bring in more and more gifts every year to spread the hope and love of the holidays.”
This toy drive is an amazing way to give back to underprivileged families, specifically young children. Every gift will be appreciated by those who receive it. During the holiday season, it is important to remember that not every family is as fortunate as others.
Cardozo’s annual toy drive creates a beautiful sense of community within the students, as well as a way to spread happiness amongst strangers.
