Well, the holidays are over, final semester exams are looming, and we have already had three snow days. Looks like winter is here. While enjoying a well-deserved break, I decided to cruise the web and see what some of the local middle schools have been up to.

Seems like with all the looming budget cuts, the schools are trying to find ways to support their educational programs. Some of what they need is pretty straight forward, so I thought I would list a few opportunities for giving.

You donÕt have to have a kid in the school, to help out. I was very impressed to see that many of the kids, staff and local PTAÕs got into the holiday spirit by helping others. Here is just a small portion of what I came up with:

Eastern Middle School has an on going project that helps kids in need of school supplies throughout the year. Currently they are in need of colored pencils, pencil pouches, notebooks, 2-inch binders and blue and black pens.

If you can help out with any donations, please call the school at 301-650-6650 and ask for Mr. Edgar or drop them off at the school, 300 University Blvd East, at the corner of University and Franklin.

They also are badly in need of musical instruments. Ms. Baron, the band and orchestra director will take all instruments, no matter what the condition, so if you have a trumpet, clarinet, flute or a violin in your attic or closet that you can donate please call the school.

There are lots of kids who would love to learn to play an instrument, but just do not have the funds to rent or buy one, and the school has a very limited supply.

Donations of winter clothes (hats, gloves, scarves, etc.) are very much needed to help outfit students for Outdoor Ed. Please call Ms. McCall, at the school if you can help with that.

Finally, Clip and save the Box Tops for Education coupons. These coupons are no longer only on Cheerios boxes. YouÕll also find them on Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Yoplait, Old El Paso, Green Giant, and many other products.

So, as youÕre cooking, just take an extra moment to cut out the Box Tops for Education symbols and save them.

Why not ask your relatives, neighbors, friends, and colleagues to do the same? Each coupon is worth 10 cents to Eastern. Once youÕve clipped and accumulated a few coupons, send them on.

Takoma Park Middle School PTA is accepting donations of used books, CDs, tapes, records, videos and DVDs for the 3rd Annual Used Book Sale, to be held on January 31, 2003.

If you have any of these items to donate, please deliver them to the school office during school hours. The school is located at 7611 Piney Branch Avenue.

TPMS also needs blenders to use for a sixth grade project on paper production; tennis balls to place on the bottom of chair legs to prevent the scratching of floors; landscaping equipment and gardening supplies for the horticulture club, including wheelbarrows, gardening gloves, shovels, spades, rakes, and trowels. Contact Ms. Meryl Moran at the school for more information.

Silver Spring International Middle School had a great fundraiser to help needy families during the holiday season. SSIMS Linkages to Learning organized, with the help of the PTA, holiday gifts for the students of 75 of SSIMSÕs neediest families for the December holidays.

The PTSA helped support this effort by collecting donations for the distribution of Giant Food Gift cards to go along with the Holiday gifts. Their goal was to raise $1,500 for 75 $20 Giant Food Gift Cards. A private citizen promised to match every dollar raised.

Last I heard, they had collected $800, with more donations coming. Great job SSI! But, even though the holidays are over, folks still need to eat! So if you still want to help them out, just give them a call.

In this time of budget cuts and deficits (why does this always happen when a Republican is officeÑoh well, I wonÕt go there), please remember to share your resources. Many of the families of kids attending our local schools do not have the funds to buy all the extraÕs needed for a great educationÉand the schools do not have the money to supply them.

So, before you donate that flute to Value Village, please remember Eastern Middle School and give them a call! Any school that would like to let me know of needs that they have in the future can contact the paper and IÕll list them in my column.

Happy New Year!!