A UHS Tradition Like No Other
I said goodbye to an old friend this year. It was an unceremonious end to something that had been part of my life for over two decades, and had connected me with hundreds of students that went way beyond the classroom. After 22 years, the UHS Toys for Tots Holiday Party succumbed to age and Covid, and I’m feeling a decent mix of relief and sadness. But, I think the biggest takeaway, for myself, is wondering if I will ever feel the same sense of togetherness and community that I saw between the students, parents, teachers, and local businesses for all these years. The Holiday Party was born in a small US History class of mine in 1997. There was a push either locally or at the state level to get students more involved with the community. Uxbridge High School created a requirement for students to get a certain amount of volunteer hours in order to graduate (something I found to be oxymoronic and counteri...