Echo Staff

Junior Alexis Epps helps wrap a present for Azleway during her Student Council period. Student Council was one of the many NHS organizations to adopt Azleway kids for the holidays.

Throughout America, many children face serious challenges as a result of being placed in foster care. For these children, the holidays may be especially difficult.  Nacogdoches High School partnered with Azleway Children’s Services to help foster and adoptive parents spread joy to each child in care this holiday season.

“Azleway Children’s Services is a private, non-profit child placing and adoption agency which provides homes for children spanning the area from Dallas/Fort Worth, all the way down to Houston,” said Liana Berry, the regional director for Azleway in Nacogdoches.

Students council officers Michael Elliot and Renee Jamar, seniors, work together to wrap an Azleway gift.

Nacogdoches High School has the privilege to help Azleway children have a happy Christmas. Principal Chaddick, the assistant principals, and many NHS organizations are acting as Santa’s Helpers for the Azleway families, including members of Student Council, Key Club, Freshmen Mentoring Program, French Club, Newspaper, Debate, Yearbook, the swim team, and the NHS Band, among others. Student council sponsor Ms. Anita Norman gave these groups the name and age of an Azleway child and the child’s “wish list.” NHS organizations donate money or gifts from the child’s list. The Azleway staff then arranges to pick up the gifts early December, in time to deliver the gifts to the families before Christmas.

“This is the fourth or fifth year that Nacogdoches High School has sponsored Azleway Children,” Berry said. “We love working with the high school.” Berry said that the high school has always been generous, and NHS sets the standard for all other sponsors of Azleway children.

Locally, the Nacogdoches office serves children living in Nacogdoches, Lufkin, Goodrich, Huntington, Center, Shelbyville, Timpson, Beaumont, Livingston, Corrigan, Burkeville, and Jasper. Berry estimates that in the past year, the local Azleway office has served approximately 170 to 180 children.

Azleway is still accepting helpers and invites anyone interested to contact them or stop by and visit the local Azleway office at 1100 South Street.

To contact Azleway:  (936) 205-5641 ext. 16 or 17

(936) 559-3602

Email:  liana.berry@azleway.org