Mrs. Santa's Toy Drive helps local families with children being served by JOYA (formerly the Spokane Guilds' School) who can't afford to buy Christmas gifts due to their medical bills.  Please bring in new toys and games (see Toy List on website) to the Upper School by Friday, Dec. 13.  Thanks for caring!

The annual Upper School Casino Night on Nov. 26 gave everyone a chance to dress up and try their luck at card tables, dice, roulette, a spinning wheel and a cake walk.  See a Photo Gallery of the evening's action, along with images from a Photo Booth of friends enjoying the evening.

Upper School students and teachers shared lunch in the courtyard, created leaves of gratitude, and enjoyed a Community Day on the last day before Thanksgiving Break.  See a Photo Gallery of the event.

Thanks to our great SGS supporters, we raised over $5,700 on #GivingTuesday for our students and teachers!  We will draw a name this week from those who gave $50 or more on Dec. 3 for the Gonzaga Men's Basketball tickets on December 30, 2019.  The winner will be contacted directly.  And don't forget that the SGS Annual Fund is still accepting donations and pledges.

SGS junior Alexandria "Alex" Gustafson represented Washington state at the 4-H National Congress in Atlanta, Georgia from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3.  Alex is the third generation in her family to receive the honor of representing Washington State at the 4-H National Congress.  An active member of the 4-H community in Spokane County for seven years, Alex has completed projects in a variety of areas including photography, arts & crafts, baking, cake decorating, sewing, canning, gardening and floral arrangement.  Alex has advanced to compete at the Washington State Fair for four years in sewing & modeling and two years in photography, finishing in the top rankings each year. 

As a teen leader in 4-H, Alex has held leadership roles in:
- WA State 4-H Teen Ambassador Board (planning conferences, arranging hotels, organizing paperwork & speakers and presenting at WA State 4-H Conference workshops);
- “Healthy Living” (teaching elementary-age children in after-school programs how to make good choices with food and exercise);
- Know Your Government (an unbiased forum  where the teens learn about all aspects  of the government and travel to Olympia to use & practice that knowledge);
- Washington State 4-H Teen Equality Task Force.
 
Alex hopes to bring back new ideas and skills from the Atlanta Congress to help Spokane County 4-H and all Washington state 4-H participants excel at being young leaders of tomorrow.  Alex’s mother, Angel Colley Gustafson, was selected to go to the 4-H Congress in 1986 when it was in Chicago.  Her Grandmother, Sharon Donovan Colley, rode the train to Chicago in 1955 to that National Congress.  Grandma Sharon was given the 'Conductor’s' hat for being such a good kid on the long train ride out and back from Chicago.

Thanks to the Deer Park Rotary Club, Spokane County Budget and Fundraising Committee, and the Know Your Government groups for sponsoring Alex for this trip.

#GivingTuesday -- a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration -- is celebrated today, December 3, 2019.   We hope you’ll consider Saint George’s School on this day of giving.  Go to the Online Giving Form and select one of the two Annual Fund giving options (Unrestricted or Need-Based Financial Aid) to support SGS students and teachers on #GivingTuesday!

BIG OFFER:  Anyone who donates $50 or more on Giving Tuesday (December 3, 2019) will be entered into a drawing for a pair of men’s basketball tickets for the Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. the Detroit Mercy Titans on December 30, 2019.  Parent donations on Giving Tuesday also will count toward your class percentages.  So support SGS today and you might get to cheer on the Zags!

The Kindergarten class helped prepare and cook a Thanksgiving meal on Nov. 25. As Pilgrims, they welcomed their "Indian Buddies" -- the seniors who started at SGS in Kindergarten -- to a delightful feast!  See photo galleries of the K's & Seniors enjoying the meal together and of the Kindergarteners Playing traditional pilgrim games before the feast.  Happy Thanksgiving!

All of the 8th graders showed off their Class of 2024 sweatshirts on presentation day.  See a Photo Gallery of them in their new student-designed outfits!

Operation Christmas Child is an international relief project that collects shoeboxes filled with school supplies, hygiene items, and fun toys and delivers them to children in need around the world.  This year's shoebox drive will just run for one week, so boxes can be picked up from Friday, Nov. 15 through Thursday, Nov. 21 in the Lower School foyer and in the Upper School in front of the theater.  All boxes must be returned no later than Friday, Nov. 22 (or sooner).  See the OCC Flyer for more details.  And thank you for helping share the joy of the holidays with children around the world.