By: Charity Meier | Novi Note | Published December 17, 2025
NOVI — The Novi Community School District once again brought Christmas to young students at the Academy of the Americas in Detroit.
The annual tradition, which is organized through Bridgepointe, a nonprofit charitable organization in metro Detroit, continues to prove that communication via spoken word is not necessary, as kindness is a universal language.
Many of the students at the Academy of the Americas predominantly speak Spanish, which creates a language barrier as NCSD students primarily speak English.
“It is good to see the connections that kids from the other school make with our kids,” said Roberto Garay, seconnd grade teacher at the Academy of the Americas . “It’s good to see that they are smiling even though there is a language barrier. When it comes to the activities, they are able to communicate despite the language, and it’s good to see that our kids get to see someone who they don’t know who they are. They don’t have no idea, but they know they are here because they want to do fun things with them. So, the hope is that eventually our kids will return the favor to somebody else. So, you guys come in. Do a favor for our kids, and our kids when they get older will return the favor too.”
Garay said the program has already inspired his second grade students to read to the first grade students during the school year.
Yoana Ramos, an academic interventionist at the Academy of the Americas, spoke to the Novi Note using a translation app on her phone.
“It’s good. It’s very good,” she said of the program.
She said that the program helps the students at the Academy of the Americas to develop motor and social skills.
During the annual holiday celebration, Novi students enrolled in grades 5-12 have the opportunity to help physically bring Christmas to the Academy of the Americas students, and all grades help to cover the cost of gifts, food and games for the students. This year, the students raised just over $5,000, according to Marla Stern, Novi Meadows Parent Teacher Organization Bridgepointe chair.
This year, each Academy of the Americas student received two smaller gifts, such as a coloring book, crayons or slinkys, and a larger gift, such as a card game.
The celebration featured a Christmas concert by the Novi Singers, the high school a capella ensemble; games officiated by the high school student council members; cookies and crafts with parents, fifth and sixth grade students, and staff; a pizza lunch; and, of course, Christmas presents. .
“I love the choir,” said Lorena Salazar, second grade teacher at the Academy of the Americas. “It was a good way to expose them to choirs.”
Salazar said that her students were paying attention to the choir because, although they do have a music class, many of the students had never seen an actual choir group perform.
NCSD students, parents and staff overwhelmingly said they enjoyed the event, because they like to help others.
“This is so much fun. I like helping, like, kids and it’s so much fun seeing their reactions and stuff,” said Sabelle Safiedine, 11, a sixth grade student at Novi Meadows. “I love it so much.”
“I like to make kids happy,” said her younger sister, Stella, 10, a fifth grader at Novi Meadows. “I like to see people smile. I don’t like it when they are sad.”
“It’s cool I get to help people and just have a good time,” said Lary Lingerakis, 12, a sixth grader at Novi Meadows.
Lingerakis said some of the children at the Academy of the Americas remembered him from last year. He said it was a good feeling when some of them recognized him and started to yell his name.
Garay said he really enjoyed seeing some of the NCSD students return for a second or third year.
For Stella and Sabelle’s mom, Ashley, the experience is dually rewarding in that she gets to see the reaction of the students for whom they are providing a Christmas, and at the same time, her daughters get to see just how fortunate they are.
“It’s just another way for us to give back,” Ashley said.
“I have gone back in time,” said Novi Meadows teacher Lori Osborne. “ I teach sixth graders usually, so to be here with these littles is taking me back.”
Osborne said she taught first grade many years ago when she was student teaching. Osborne said that this was her first year attending the event and she hopes to come back next year.
“It’s nice to see a different school,” she said.