by A girl in Grand Rapids asks the cost of Santa school, what a rapid is, and what a volunteer is
A Letter to Santa from Grand Rapids, Michigan
Dear Santa,
Hi Santa! My name is Clara and I am 8 years old. I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a friendly city on a river, famous long ago for making fine furniture. I love arts and crafts and helping at the food pantry with my mom. My question is: how much is Santa Claus school? My geography question is: what is a rapid? And my social studies question is: what is a volunteer, and why do people volunteer? Thanks, Santa!
Love, Clara (age 8)
Santa’s Reply
Ho ho ho, hello Clara! A girl who helps at the food pantry already has the heart of a true helper. Here is a fun fact: there really are Santa schools, where my many helpers learn how to be jolly, tell wonderful stories, and spread cheer the proper way. They do cost money to attend, usually a few hundred dollars, and the price varies from school to school. But the most important lesson of all, having a kind and generous heart like yours, cannot be taught in any classroom, and it is completely free.
Your geography question: what is a rapid
A rapid is a stretch of a river where the water rushes fast and rough, tumbling over rocks and creating white, churning foam. Your own Grand Rapids was actually named for the rapids that once roared through the Grand River there. Rapids form where a river drops quickly or squeezes over a rocky, uneven bed. Read more at National Geographic Kids.
Your social studies question: what is a volunteer
A volunteer is someone who gives their time to help others without being paid, simply because they care, just like you do at the food pantry. People volunteer to make their community better, to help neighbors in need, and because giving feels good. Your own Grand Rapids is known for its strong spirit of volunteering, which sounds a lot like the spirit of Christmas to me. Explore more at Britannica Kids.
Keep helping others for me, Clara. Yours warmly from the North Pole, Santa Claus.
