Michigan—Battle Creek Academy (BCA) students planned several activities during the 2004 holiday season that were excellent opportunities to let their light shine. Students volunteered to help campus ministries members use the holiday season to treat area youngsters. Bobby Costie, campus ministries director, announced that 24 community children with special needs were guests of BCA for a Christmas party.

The students, who adopted a child for the day, spent their time at the two-hour party entertaining his or her Christmas child. They played games, enjoyed good food, sang Christmas songs, watched a Christmas movie, and at the end each child received a present from their matched student, based on the parents' suggestion.

The seventh- and eighth-grade class also celebrated the true meaning of Christmas by adopting a local family and planning a very special holiday treat.

The students invited the family to the academy to enjoy an afternoon of food and fun. With monies they raised within their class, the students planned and prepared a delicious Christmas dinner and purchased gifts for the family using lists given to them by the parents. To top it all off, the students were able to send them home with a carload of food staples for their pantry.

The witnessing class and the Battle Creek Tabernacle Pathfinder group spread some holiday cheer of their own to area families. They prepared fifty Christmas food baskets with all the makings of a delicious holiday meal, complete with homemade Christmas cookies, baked and decorated by the Pathfinders.

With the many outreach activities that took place, the student association decided to treat the students of the academy to a little Christmas cheer also. They set aside time to bring everyone together, students and staff alike, for a short season of caroling, followed by treats for all.

Michelle Cain, Battle Creek Academy correspondent