Gallery • 3 Photos

Rita Magana

Mrs. Cuba encourages students to donate toys for hospitalized children from ages three to eight. The toy drive started with one toy in her fourth period and has now become a box full with stuffed animals, toy cars, and dolls.

During Mrs. Cubas’s fourth period, on Oct. 16, the topic of children with cleft palates not being able to receive Christmas gifts due to expensive medical treatments came up and it moved her class into pursuing the  idea of a toy drive.

Because Mrs. Cubas’s daughter is a therapist for children with cleft palates, she often mentions to her about how much she loves her patients and how it is unfair that most parents do not have enough money to buy their children the gifts they want. The hospital Mrs. Cubas’s daughter works at used to have a Christmas program that gave gifts to the children on Christmas, but the program no longer exist.

After hearing the situation, Thomas Lopez, 12, and the rest of his fourth period classmates felt the need to do something about it.

“The first thing that came to my mind when Mrs. Cubas first brought up the situation is that children are too innocent and I felt like something should be done to help those in need,” Lopez stated. “I felt bad for the parents, many of them being poor, and know that they put their money to the child’s needs and may not be able to afford gifts. Coming up with the toy drive was a way I knew could help the families and the children who are going through this hardship.”

Mrs. Cubas told her class that she would first ask her daughter and see if her boss would allow them to start a toy drive.

“This is how awesome Downey High School is – without mentioning to my daughter, without asking my daughter to ask her boss and see if it’s okay,” Mrs. Cubas, Spanish teacher stated. “The next day the kids brought toys; they started bringing toys already.”

A week into the toy drive and Mrs. Cubas has already received 12 toys. Mrs. Cubas and her fourth period’s goal is to receive enough toys for all the children.

As a part of her fourth period class, Ariana Reyes, 10, believes the toy drive will be a success.

“I really think that this drive is going to be really successful. I mean just look at Mrs. Cubas’s fourth period,” Reyes stated. “Everyday I come into class there is more and more toys.”

Mrs. Cubas and her classes hope that everyone at Downey High will get involved in the toy drive and support Mrs. Cubas’s cause by getting everyone to contribute gifts to those need.

The toy drive will run until Christmas break, all toys must be unwrapped and brand new. Toys don’t need to be gender neutral, just large enough so the children can’t put the toys in their mouths. You can find Mrs. Cubas in room E-202.