As the holidays near, presents and gifts accumulate in large quantities under the Christmas tree in preparation for an exciting winter season. The gifts and toys begin to pile up in the homes and dorm rooms of the students at Webb as the holiday spirit spreads among the community. Unused by students or faculty families, the excessive toys received by many students are left to collect dust in the corners of storage spaces. To put these toys into use in bringing entertainment and happiness to children and families during the holiday season, many Webb residents have been participating in the Toy Drive to spread care beyond campus with the applicable resources.  

The annual Toy Drive at Webb, hosted by the dorm prefects, is back once again to spread the holiday cheer before winter break begins. This year, the collection will take place every morning at the front circle and every lunch in front of Price Dining Hall and in Stockdale Community Center from December 9th to the 13th.  

The toys gathered will be donated to local family shelters and organizations such as the Foothill Family Shelter, San Antonio Hospital Foundation, Isaiah’s Rock, Inland Valley Hope Partners, and Inner-City Arts. Additionally, plans have been adjusted this year to better accommodate the community’s limited accessibility to toys when living on campus.  

“Participants may also donate in the form of cash or direct online purchases from an Amazon Wishlist this year to make the process more convenient for those who would like to donate,” said Dr. Ardina Greco, lead dorm head and fine arts department faculty. 

 This modification encourages more involvement by accepting a flexible range of unwrapped toys, cash, or virtual donations that may be easier for students or faculty to access.  

Although the Toy Drive is a community-wide event for day students and boarders, it maintains a crucial part of residential life during the holiday season at Webb, allowing students to perform a small act of kindness without needing to leave campus. Additionally, the Toy Drive offers a way to resourcefully utilize extra toys or loose change. 

“It is an opportunity to show empathy towards less fortunate children and families who would greatly appreciate a gift over the holidays,” said Chelsea Wei (‘25), head prefect of the South Hutch Dorm.  

These gestures of compassion towards communities outside of the Webb campus embody the true holiday spirit within Webb residents.  

Originally beginning with the hopes of demonstrating community support by the prefect council, the meaningful purpose behind the Toy Drive is what kept this tradition thriving in the Webb community for so long. 

“The Toy Drive remains a tradition because it is what Christmas truly means—giving back to not just the Webb community but also collaborating with charities and organizations to help those in need,” said Andy Pan (‘25), head prefect of the Upper Dorms.  

Acting for this purpose, the Toy Drive remains an annual event. Webb will continue preserving this ongoing tradition.  

“I hope this year we can collect as many toys as possible to demonstrate that Webb is in active support of our local community,” says Dr. Greco. 

The prefect council is hoping for a high participation rate with the goal of reflecting Webb’s support towards community programs. Through these efforts, Webb hopes to improve the holidays of other families beyond the community.