Nicole Osterhoudt’s fifth grade class at Shore Road collected their memories of the holidays and special family traditions in a shoebox and presented them to loved ones during an interdisciplinary activity called Shoebox Memoirs.

The students have been studying memoir writing in their English language arts lessons and, prior to winter break, were instructed to recall a favorite holiday memory or tradition. After their writing was edited several times and perfected, they placed their memoirs in a shoebox and wrapped it in paper to take home as a gift. Some of the students took extra steps to decorate the shoebox with symbols and drawings in order to make the gift more festive.