REQUESTS WE ALL CAN UNDERSTAND.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry  Staff Writer

VALENCIA - The letters are addressed to Santa Claus at ``Polo Norte'' and come from Spanish-speaking children and adults who ask for toys and clothes, blankets and food.

The letters first come to the Santa Clarita Main Post Office and are then handed over to Claudia Acosta, chairwoman of the department of foreign languages at College of the Canyons, where her students translate the letters into English and then write responses back in Spanish.

``They get to read a letter firsthand,'' Acosta said. ``They realize that they can communicate with another completely in Spanish. It's meaningful to them because it's real.''

Acosta began accepting the letters written in Spanish as a literacy project and now has made it a tradition for her advanced students to not only answer the letters but help those most in need.

``They write to Santa as a desperate call for help,'' Acosta said, after sharing a letter of a woman asking for insulin and a blanket. ``It's all about hope for the children and help for the adults.''

Each year, the 40 students and 10 volunteers answer about 350 letters presented to them in three shipments. < Dennis Yong, 20, of Canyon Country received two letters from mothers who asked Santa for presents for their children.

``It's already getting cold, and we don't have clothes,'' one letter was translated to read. ``I want to have a gift from my children.''

The letter went on to say, ``I hope that you understand me and, even if you can't (help), I'd still understand, because at least you read my letter.''

Yong, a member of the Future Educator's Club, said he could relate to the mother's plea.

``More than anything, she needed someone to listen to her problems,'' he said. ``I'm glad I was able to help respond to her letter.''

But Yong admitted that, through the projects, more than language lessons were learned.

``I learned to be grateful with my socio-economic stuff,'' Yong said. ``It's rewarding that I can help out those in need.''

Danielle Love, 20, of Valencia opened a letter written by Alex, a 5-year-old boy who asked for a bicycle and little clothes for his 3-month- old brother, Jimmy.

``It's really special to get a chance to affect someone's life,'' Love said. ``It's given me a glimpse into people's lives and shows me that children are the same all over, no matter what language they speak.''

Anyone interested in adopting a family is asked to contact Acosta at [phone].