Photo courtesy of Heidi Beck This month, Lakeview students, faculty and staff members all took part in the “Be A Light” project to show school unity. More than 900 people wrote their names on decorations that looked like a string of Christmas lights wrapping around the Lakeview commons area.

COTTONWOOD — The strand of hundreds of paper cutouts shaped like Christmas lights wound around the commons area at Lakeview School.

They weren’t just holiday decorations — each light had the name of a Lakeview student, teacher or staff member.

“It’s a sign of unity. Every one of us is represented,” said Lakeview district secretary Heidi Beck.

“It’s a very cool idea. The kids, every day when they go down to lunch, they like to show people where their name is,” said Lakeview Elementary Principal Corey Boe.

More than 900 people, representing Lakeview Lakers from pre-kindergarten through high school, added their names to the light strand.

Beck said the “Your Light Makes the Season Bright” project was a way for the Lakeview community to show togetherness, and it also called on students to make their world a brighter place. The idea for the project came from a song at a fifth- and sixth-grade concert this fall. Students sang “Be A Light” by Thomas Rhett, a song that called on people to make a positive difference in the world.

Beck said the song was a hit at the concert.

“The lights were out in the theater and each of the students held an LED light as they sang,” she said.

The song’s positive message provided inspiration for Lakeview’s sunshine committee, Beck said.

“We thought, we’re going to take this light theme and run with it,” she said.

Staff and students were all encouraged write their names on light-shaped decorations that were hung in the school commons.

Even before the idea for “Be A Light” came up, Lakeview staff and students were showing support for classmates and their families during the holidays. Beck said the Lakeview community worked on a variety of projects, from food drives to holiday shopping trips.

“Our overall goal is to support families, to make the holiday experience a positive one,” Boe said.

Lakeview held a “Cans For Canes” drive, where students could bring in a non-perishable food item to donate, and receive a candy cane in return.

A couple of student projects involved collecting household items for community members in need, Beck said. Lakeview’s National Honor Society chapter held a “shoebox” collection drive, and Lakeview first grade students also held an Advent box collection for household supplies, Boe and Beck said.

Second-grade students and sixth-grade students both made blankets for community members. Boe said the second-graders made blankets for the Cottonwood Ambulance service, and collected stuffed animals that could be given to children at the Avera Marshall emergency department, Boe said. The sixth grade made tie blankets this week, that could be given to new families in the Lakeview district, or to families in need.

Third-graders at Lakeview raised money to go on a holiday shopping trip for 23 students this year. All together, students raised more than $1,000, Boe said. The kids also had fun wrapping the gifts, he said.

Boe said it was good to see the Lakeview students and community come together to support each other.

“It shows how our school and our community are connected,” he said.

“It’s a good time of year up here,” Boe said. “The kids love it.”