Online school helping families at Thanksgiving

An enterprising teacher at an online school has stepped up to the plate to deliver the goods this Thanksgiving by offering Yuma County families with staples to brighten their holiday.

For the second year in a row, Arizona Virtual Academy (AZVA) teacher Jena Kugel organized volunteers to "adopt" three families in need to augment their holiday larder.

"I know my my families intimately and I know if there's a special need in a family, if a parent gets laid off or if a grandparent becomes ill," Kugel said. "Students confide in me because I'm a teacher and they trust me."

Whenever there is a hardship within the AZVA community, Kugel is the
go-to person who then goes online to marshal her network of contacts.

On Tuesday, 50 students and some of their parents assembled at a Foothills home to fill three large laundry hampers stuffed with turkey and traditional trimmings along with nonperishable items to tide over their lucky families beyond the holiday.

AZVA is a charter school, not a traditional home school, Kugel said. She taught at Desert Mesa and Rolle public schools before switching to AZVA two years ago.

Although most lessons are conducted online, many students meet with Kugel twice a week at the First Christian Church for face-to-face interaction as well as to take standardized exams such as the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS).

Contrary to myth, online students have acute socialization skills, she noted. "They're a neat group of kids - extremely bright and they love helping each other out. They've already asked about how many families we'll adopt for Christmas."

Jacob Armstrong, 12, a seventh-grade AZVA student, said when he was in public school, he was never given the chance to touch the community in this way and although they have fun getting together, they never forget why they are doing the project.

"I thought it was a cool thing to do for families who just don't have enough," Jacob said. "We do this because it is the right thing to do and if more people felt this way, it would make life better for more families."

Alicia Copeland, Jacob's mother, praised Kugel for when parents feel at their "wit's end" and she assures them they can get things all worked out.

"When Jena sent out the e-mails, she just asked us for a gift card but Jacob asked why not bring cereal, too, so we we brought that along with hot chocolate boxes and canned olives," Copeland said. "It's a good way to give back to the community and I want to let him know that."

Jacqueline Farley, 12, also an AZVA seventh-grader, said, "I thought this was a great way to give to needy families and I feel so happy when I get to help other kids."

None of the AZVA volunteers knows who the recipients of their generosity will be except Kugel, who maintains their anonymity to comply with the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act.

Doreen Farley, who hosted Tuesday's event and is Jacqueline's mother, helped Kugel last year with the deliveries. She noted that the families were not only surprised but very appreciative.

"I was willing to do whatever was needed," Farley said. "I wanted us to be part of something that's bigger than ourselves and I want my children to see the good that can come from charitable giving.

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William Roller can be reached at
wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.