PITTSBURGH — A group of students at Steel Valley Senior High School made a big sacrifice so one of their own would be able to have a great holiday season.
Vinny Haddad, a sophomore at Steel Valley, had longed for an Xbox One gaming console for months.
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“He used to come in every day at lunch, saying, ‘I want an Xbox One,’” said Chris Swenglish, Haddad’s friend.
After his mother lost her job, Haddad’s chances at getting his Xbox this holiday season dwindled. With his parents unable to get him what he wanted for Christmas, Haddad’s friends stepped up to the plate.
Swenglish, along with two others, Brendan Zuger and Tanner Cannon, got together on behalf of Haddad and eventually decided to pitch in to get him an Xbox.
“I saw some other students at another table doing a secret Santa,” Zuger said. “So I thought that we should get the Xbox for Vinny.”
After making the decision to get their friend an Xbox, they took the campaign school wide and received major viral support on social media.
“It feels good on the inside,” Cannon said.
When school administrators received word of the campaign, they decided to stay out and let the students do it on their own.
“We just decided to stay out of it and see what would happen if we let the kids lead this initiative,” said Principal Lisa Duval.
In less than a week, Zuger, Cannon and Swenglish were able to surprise their friend with the new Xbox.
Haddad, who was expecting to have a normal day, didn’t know what to think when he was called into the school’s office.
“I thought, ‘Am I in trouble?” Haddad said.
When he made it into the room, Haddad found many of his friends, family and school faculty waiting around as he walked inside. In the center of the room, there was a table with presents on it.
“I sat down, opened the presents and there the Xbox One was,” Haddad said. “I was just mind-blown.”
Now as he plays his new Xbox and Call of Duty during the holiday break, Haddad will now think of the special group of friends and classmates who helped make it possible.
“I am really lucky to have friends like those guys,” Haddad said.