Since 2001 HISD’s Longfellow Elementary students have been helping parents tackle their holiday shopping with a list of kid-friendly and cost-effective gifts. Today, fifth-grade students at Longfellow held a news conference to announce this year’s top 10 most-wanted holiday gifts.
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“It was hard work. We had to work together,” said Erik Cuellar, fifth-grade student. “But in the end we had a lot of fun, and we are making holiday shopping easier for many parents.”
Every year, the fifth-graders at Longfellow divide into teams and spend a month surveying their classmates on the most desirable toys for the holiday season. The students conduct the surveys on their own, record the data, and use data analysis and math skills to tally the results and release their top 10 list to the media.
“I think it was very cool,” said Taylon Pitts, fifth-grade student. “Some of the students who were in the survey, I didn’t really know and now they’re my friends.”
The students strived to include items that wouldn’t be a financial burden for their parents and focused on finding various toys that are both desired by kids and priced under $50. The winners for 2012 are:
1. Legos
2. Crayon Explosion Globe
3. Moon Dough
4. Nerf gun 10 Blaster
5. Figit Friends
6. Leapfrog
7. Bikes
8. Action Figures (Examples: The Avengers, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, WWE, Transformers)
9. Monster High Dolls
10. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
The Longfellow fifth-grade students took the lead at today’s press conference. Students Laura Althaus, Simeon Anderson, Erik Cuellar, Mia Hill, Katriel Ivy, Bria Jackson, Taylon Pitts, Eboni Rodgers, Jonathan Sanchez and McKay Silva released their findings and addressed questions from local media.
For the first time, bikes made the top 10 list and Legos sets remained at the top for the third consecutive year.
Representatives from the Target store located on 8500 S. Main provided samples of all the top toys to display at the press conference which they generously donated afterwards to the Star of Hope homeless mission.