McCandless student's 'kindness project' delivers warmth and smiles

Dec. 9--XSavior Cervantes is always wanting to help people, said his grandmother Henri Morgan.

So, this month, when his social worker at McCandless Elementary "gave him a window" by suggesting a "kindness project" at the school, the 11-year-old who's on the autism spectrum "jumped right through it," Morgan said.

The project's success surprised her, school officials and even XSavior himself.

With his two sisters in foster care, XSavior decided he wanted to find a way to support them and other children who are out of their homes. So he wrote up a series of questions and called Saint Francis Ministries to learn about the need. He then prepared a video for the school's morning television program.

"There are 339 children in foster care in Reno County," XSavior told his schoolmates on the 75-second video. "Forty-seven percent are male and 53% are female. Baby through pre-teen is the largest group."

He then put out a plea for students to donate items that Saint Francis indicated are most needed, including socks, hats and gloves, and travel-sized personal hygiene items, such as toothpaste and shampoo.

Thanks to a Facebook post, the request reached outside the school, to the Hutchinson Hornets baseball and softball organization.

The team put together 240 bags, each containing a hat, gloves and a small hygiene kit. Owner/manager Zak Kirk, his son, Asa, and two members of the Hornet organization, Makenzie Ash and Emma Rosenberger, dropped off the kits on Friday.

"I was hoping to help half to three-quarters (of the youth in foster care)," XSavior said. "It's going to be more, all thanks to my friends."

Though he'll be in a different school next year as he moves up to seventh grade, XSavior is already planning to expand on the effort, hoping to reach outside Reno County. And he hopes that with the necessities donated, foster parents might be able to buy presents instead.

On Monday, John Young and Jennifer McCallister with Saint Francis went to the school to pick up the donations, which had grown to seven large boxes that Young had trouble fitting in his car.

For the occasion, XSavior dressed in a new suit that featured Christmas bows all over it, down to the tie.

St. Francis was hosting an annual dinner for foster parents Monday night, though McCallister wasn't sure whether the items would be distributed there or individually as needed through the office.

"It's huge," McCallister said of the donation. "A lot of these families don't have these when kids come into their care."

"He's a remarkable kid," said social worker Susan Weigel-Wise. "I put some things about the community in his head, and he ran with it. He has a huge heart."

"It's going to be nice to see kids have happy smiles on their faces," XSavior said. "I want to thank all the people who donated, from the first week to the final day. Merry Christmas."

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