HELPING AN ANGEL; WESTLAKE STUDENTS `ADOPT' NEEDY KIDS.

Byline: Angela Randazzo Daily News Staff Writer

Students at Westlake Hills Elementary School were playing Santa Claus on Monday through the school's second annual Adopt an Angel program.

The students ``adopted'' 62 needy children from the community and are helping to make their Christmas wishes come true.

``We're collecting toys for needy children,'' said Carolyn Namer, parent volunteer and coordinator of the Adopt an Angel program. ``The students helped buy the toys themselves with their own money.''

The gifts were collected at the school Monday morning and 62 bags were filled, one for each child. The identities of the ``angel'' children are kept confidential. Each bag is tagged with the child's first name, age, size and what gifts are on their wish list.

The angel children were selected by Interface Children Family Services of Ventura County and case workers will distribute the gift packages.

As a class project Barbara Gooch's kindergarten class adopted a 5-year-old boy named Eduardo. For the past two weeks, the students have been donating money they earned doing chores at home to fulfill Eduardo's wish list.

``The students would put their pennies, dimes and dollars into the `angel' jar and say, This is for Eduardo,'' said Gooch.

``I helped my mommy clean my room,'' said Candice Caplan, a 5-year-old kindergarten student. ``It made me happy to help my angel.''

Many of the needy children asked for toys like remote-control cars and Barbie dolls but clothing and underwear were also on the wish lists. Individual students and their families adopted an angel as well.

``If we can train young people now that it's better to give than to receive they'll become better adults,'' said Rachelle Morga, the school's principal. ``And it's not just giving money. The students have to earn the money through allowances or collecting.''

Morga has received calls from a number of parents who were surprised at how eager their children were to do chores to earn the money for their angel.

Last year the school adopted 12 families and helped grant their Christmas wishes by raising more that $6,000. This year the school opted for more of a personal touch through the Adopt an Angel program that allows the students to select toys and clothing for an individual child.

``The students also made cards so their adopted child will know that people care about them,'' said Kathy Brooks, parent volunteer and coordinator of program.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color in Conejo Edition only) Judy Lusher, left, and Gerry Bain, parents of children at Westlake Hills Elementary, pack up donated gifts for needy youngsters.

(2--Color in Conejo Edition only) Kindergarten students will send this card to an angel named Bexy.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Daily News