Santa visits Rocky Boy Elementary School

Rocky Boy Elementary School students got a surprise Friday when Santa Claus showed up to give them presents.

Every student at the school received a gift this year through a community project that was started by Rocky Boy High School teacher and adviser Kristi Mylorett three years ago. This is the first year they have been able to give a gift to every student at the elementary school.

"We are bringing presents to these wonderful kids," said Isiah Murie, a senior at the high school who was one of the team who went to businesses in Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation and Havre to ask for donations for the project. "We're giving them Christmas spirit and joy. Some of them go without Christmas."

Murie said they made a point of pushing to make sure every student got a present this year. When the project was first started, 50 students at the elementary received a present the first year. The second year, 100 students received presents. This year, 310 present were given to children from Santa and his elves.

Mylorett said she decided to kick start the project after she saw a study on successfull communities.

"We found that communities that give back to one another are communities that thrive," Mylorett said. "So a student actually came up with this idea and now we do it every year."

She added that she is grateful for Rocky Boy and Havre..

"The generosity has been so wonderful," she said.