Two Catholic school board students motivated their classmates and teachers to fill a school bus with toys and food to be donated to local charities ahead of the holidays.

Grade 8 students, Jane St. Louis from St. André French Immersion Catholic Elementary School and Annie Peltier from St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School, said they took part in the event because they wanted to "give back to the community."

"We know that we're so blessed and fortunate as a Catholic school and school board. So we wanted to follow in Jesus' footsteps and help others, especially during the pandemic, we know that a lot of families are struggling," said Peltier.

The kids spent the morning packing up the bus, before it was sent to drop off the donations at Windsor's Children's Aid Society and the Sandwich Teen Action Group.

This initiative is one that the French and English Catholic school boards have previously done, but this year students are helping to pack the bus.

St. Louis said the pile of donations at St. André is "very, very high in our foyer," adding that "it's a very good sign though."

At St. Joseph's, Peltier said they are "filling hundreds of boxes and bags of items."