HAGÅTÑA, GUAM - Okkodo High School and Notre Dame High School have been named as the winners of the 2022 Toys for Tots High School Challenge, which challenges schools to collect and donate the most toys as part of the Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, Toys for Tots Campaign.
The Guam Chamber of Commerce’s Armed Forces Committee offered schools with a population of more than 500 students a $1,000 prize. A $700 prize was offered to schools with less than 500 students. Okkodo High School was the large school winner with a total of 986 toys donated. Notre Dame High School was the small school winner with a total of 164 toys donated.
The challenge gave students the opportunity to make a difference during the holiday season by donating new, unwrapped toys to their youth counterparts. The primary goal of the Toys for Tots program is to help bring the joy of Christmas and to send a message of hope to America’s less fortunate children.
Through the high school challenge, a total of 2,399 toys were collected and went directly to The Salvation Army, Catholic Social Service, Mañe'lu and Harvest House, who then assisted with the distribution of toys to families on Guam. The 2023 Toys for Tots campaign collected a total of 5,562 toys on Guam and 4,227 toys in Saipan. The Toys for Tots Foundation purchased 1,286 toys, making the 2022 total count 11,075 toys. In 2021 a total of 9,241 toys were collected.
The program would like to thank the following high schools for their participation and generosity in supporting Toys for Tots in 2022:
- Academy of Our Lady of Guam
- DoDEA Guam High School
- Father Dueñas Memorial School
- Guahan Academy Charter School
- Harvest Christian Academy Guam
- Majesty Christian Academy Guam
- Notre Dame High School
- Okkodo High School
- Simon Sanchez High School
- Southern High School
- Tiyan High School
The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a not-for-profit charity with a 75-year history. Last year the Marine Toys for Tots Program fulfilled the holiday hopes and dreams of 8.8 million less fortunate children in over 800 communities nationwide by distributing 22.4 million toys. Since 1947 over 289 million children have been assisted and 627 million toys distributed. For more information, visit www.toysfortots.org.
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January 30, 2023
