Students at Middletown High School revived the National Honor Society's Adopt-A-Family program to ensure people in the community had the opportunity to celebrate the holiday season.

A senior at Middletown High School, Sunny Shi said living through the pandemic for more than a year really made her think about how fortunate she is.

“It just makes you consider the things you already originally took for granted. And I think I'm doing this as a great way to provide some stability for kids that aren't as fortunate and that may not have access to stuff like this,” Shi said.

Shi and the rest of the students continued the tradition of the Adopt-a-Family program. It’s been going on at the high school for more than 20 years.

This year, organizers said they spent at least $1,600 on gifts.

Middletown senior Katherine Dorfman said that although she doesn’t personally know the children that received the gifts, she hoped the presents would uplift them.

“It really doesn't matter if they know that I did it for them. It's just the idea of knowing that it made them happy,” said Dorfman.

Dorfman believes the true meaning of Christmas is giving back to your community.

“It's not about whether someone has seen what you have done, but it's just the intent behind it that matters,” said Dorfman.