A beary kind holiday season

Seventh-grade students at Jonas E. Salk Middle School in Michele Witte’s class decided to pay it forward by selling colorful teddy bears as part of the school’s movement, Tyler’s Teddies, in honor of a 10-month-old named Tyler who died due to a defective juvenile product. Students sold stuffed bears during lunch periods to benefit Kids In Danger, an organization dedicated to improving child safety products. The district takes in students from North Wantagh and Seaford.

The students read the book “Pay it Forward” by Catherine Ryan Hyde during the summer and encouraged their fellow peers to buy a teddy bear, which they sold for $3 each, to give to someone else this holiday season as part of the Pay it Forward movement. Many students participated by purchasing multiple bears to give to friends and family. 

“We’re trying to get as much awareness as we can,” said seventh-grader Cassidy Steiner. “We have social media accounts, including an Instagram and an email if anyone needs to contact us. We’re doing really well so far.”  

“It feels great to be giving back because it is near the holidays so there’s a lot of joy going around,” added Vanessa Monnielo, a seventh-grader at the school. “It’s about giving teddies and making people feel happy.” 

To showcase how many students paid it forward, the class plans on having students who contributed fill out a paper bear after the holidays and write how they passed it on. All the bears will be displayed in the school. Students who contributed were also encouraged to wear pajamas on Dec. 19. 

“We have really been focusing this year on the concept of paying it forward,” said Witte. “I’m hoping that the students are able to realize that in giving, especially around the holiday season, they can really pay it forward to their community and families and understand the meaning of what the holidays are all about.”