Technology Essentials class in Hilton creates and sells holiday gifts to benefit fellow student
The week of Christmas, the Technology Essentials class at Hilton High School transformed the auditorium into a holiday gift shop filled with handmade items – with all proceeds benefiting Hilton senior Ethan Di lulio, who recently underwent a heart transplant. Students made holiday signs, ornaments, hand soap dispensers, treat dispensers, cutting boards, wooden toy cars, wooden gnomes and trees, decorative bottles, candles, keychains, stocking holders, and more. All items were nominally priced and sold during class over the three days before holiday break.
The class has been holding the sale for the past ten years after creating the items throughout the first semester. “Originally, it was a way to add the concepts of math and vocations into the process of making things in Technology Essentials. After that, it became a way to do some cross-curriculum work between technology, math, and art,” said Rita Karnisky, special education teacher.
“When we started selling the goods, we began doing this as fundraisers for charity groups of the kids choosing. This way, we could add in the whole community involvement piece,” Karnisky said. Over the past several years, the class has donated proceeds to the local Ronald McDonald House, Willow Domestic Violence Center, the Hilton and Hamlin Animal Shelters, Dreams from Drake, and this year Ethan Di lulio’s Journey. “Ethan, being a student in our school, could not be a more relevant and relatable cause for the kids to identify with, and in these COVID-sheltered times, we needed a cause that had significant meaning,” said Karnisky.
For information about Ethan’s Heart Transplant Journey and to donate to his GoFundMe page, visit https://gofund.me/2bc5bfc4.
Provided information
These are just a few of the items created and sold by the Technology Essentials class. Provided photos
