More than 50 students of Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School swarmed the school's foyer on Dec. 18 in a frenzy of decorating.
Five bare Christmas trees were festooned with lights and paper chains and bejeweled with handmade ornaments of all designs.
The event was more than a holiday party. Each tree represented a charitable organization competing for a cash prize.
There were trees for the Douglas County Animal Shelter, Austin's House, Douglas County Search and Rescue and the Think Pink Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
There was also a tree for the "We Believe" Joey Jacobsen Fund.
Pau-Wa-Lu's leadership class organized the drive.
"We did this last year and it went really well," said 14-year-old leadership student Sedona Schat.
About 20 students are in the school's leadership class, taught by Lisa Peterson.
"I believe that if you can get students to want to come to school, then you can teach them anything," said Peterson. "Projects like these help. The students have a lot of enthusiasm."
More than 50 students from five classes volunteered for the decorating.
Cole Peck, 12, made a black and yellow garland for Joey Jacobsen's tree.
Jacobsen, a 10-year-old student at Minden Elementary School, was critically injured last month in a woodcutting accident in Alpine County.
He remains in Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno.
Yellow and black are the colors of Jacobsen's little league team, the Pirates.
"I know Joey really well," said Cole. "My brother played on his football team. It's horrible what happened to him and I wanted to help."
Jeanell Edwardson, a 14-year-old ninth-grader, made a paper heart for the top of the animal shelter tree.
"I love animals. They need a home," she said. "It's Christmas, and it's time for joy and family, and every animal needs a family."
After the trees were decorated, members of the Minden Rotary Club picked the winners.
The Think Pink tree won first place, receiving $175. The Joey Jacobsen tree took second, winning $75, and Douglas County Search and Rescue took third, winning $50.
Peterson said most of the prize money was raised by school dances.
