December 19, 2025 - Approximately 852 students in Comal ISD were supported this year with gifts from their ‘wish’ lists, thanks to fellow students, teachers and families.
During the holiday season, campuses across the district offer opportunities for students and staff members to serve their fellow students and communities through events that give back. Those events include blanket, food and toy drives as well as annual celebrations that have become Comal ISD traditions. Here are just a few.
Canyon High School’s Cougar Christmas
This year’s Cougar Christmas benefited 102 elementary students from six campuses including Goodwin Frazier, Freiheit, Clear Spring, Oak Creek, Farias-Spitzer and Mayfair. Approximately 33 CHS student organizations adopted students and shopped their ‘wish’ lists, buying toys, clothes, bikes and more. The wrapped gifts are given to elementary students inside the Cougar gym. In the excitement, it is hard to tell who is happier about the gifts, the high school students who purchased them or the elementary students who receive them.
Members of the CHS freshman boys basketball team chipped in to purchase 10 gifts for Freiheit fifth-grade student Cameron Ramos who was proud of his new Crocs and motorized monster truck.
“Shopping, buying and wrapping the gifts was good bonding time for us as a team,” says Jose Vega, a CHS ninth-grade student on the team.
Smiles about as students play with their new gifts and connect with new friends.
“It’s awesome that we can give back to the community in this way,” says Carlee Sturm, a CHS senior on the girls basketball team. “It is great to see their smiles.”
One of those smiles was from Nava Nielson, a fourth-grade student from Freiheit whose favorite gift was a slime-making kit.
“It is really special and really fun,” Nielson says about Cougar Christmas. “I’m really grateful for it.”
Similar Campus Events
Canyon Lake High School Hawks Adopt-A-Child - This year, the Hawks supported 33 students from Mountain Valley Elementary, Rebecca Creek Elementary and Startzville Elementary with 32 student organizations and classes adopting one or more elementary students. Besides opening gifts from their wish lists, a highlight was listening to story time with Santa and Mrs. Claus along with pizza, snacks and drinks.
Davenport High School Winter Wonderland - In its fourth year, Winter Wonderland supported 54 elementary students from Comal Creek, Morningside and Garden Ridge elementary campuses with 57 high school volunteers from student council, choir, jazz band, theater, dance, cheer, JROTC, PACK Press and Key Club.
Hill Country College Preparatory High School Compassion Project – In its sixth year, the Compassion Project supported 20 students from Arlon Seay Elementary with 260 high school students participating.
Memorial Early College High School (MECHS) Christmas – This year, 13 students from Goodwin Frazier Elementary were supported with gifts. The National Honor Society donated blankets to each student, and the Eagle Fellowship donated hygiene/toiletry products.
Bill Brown Elementary Cover Others with Kindness
Celebrating 10 years with the Bulverde Spring Branch Cindy’s Tree (formerly Angel Tree), Bill Brown Elementary continued its tradition of collecting blankets for the families within its community. This year, students collected 416 blankets.
Bulverde Spring Branch Cindy’s Tree (formerly Angel Tree Project)
In its 10th year serving the Bulverde and Spring Branch communities, Cindy’s Tree supported 240 families, approximately 630 children, with 2,500 gifts.
Cindy’s Tree places Christmas trees at various locations in the community including 10 Comal ISD campuses. The trees are decorated with wish ornaments for students within the district. Wrapped gifts are given to each family prior to Christmas.
Photo descriptions:
-Students from Bill Brown Elementary School proudly show off this year’s blanket collection which supports the Bulverde Spring Branch Cindy’s Tree.
-A new bike was given during this year’s Canyon Lake High School’s Hawks Adopt-A-Child event.
-Freiheit Elementary School fifth-grade student Cameron Ramos was excited about receiving a motorized monster truck from the Canyon High School freshman basketball team during Cougar Christmas.
-Freiheit Elementary School fourth-grade student Nava Nielson was thankful for the gifts she received from the Canyon High School girls basketball team during Cougar Christmas.
-Freiheit Elementary School fourth-grade student Isaiah Valero had fun playing basketball with the Canyon High School boys basketball team during Cougar Christmas.