Cohoes students write letters to Santa to support Make-A-Wish

COHOES, N.Y. (NEWS10) - For 16 years, students at Van Schaick Grade School have been writing letters to Santa in support of the Macy's "Believe" campaign. The students take pride in knowing that each letter sent will help make a difference in the lives of other children.

The tradition is part of the Macy’s “Believe” campaign and for every letter that is dropped off at Macy’s, $2 is donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Each year, the school drops off about 200 letters to Santa.

The school’s front lobby is decked out in this year’s theme, "New York for the Holidays.” It highlights three areas of the state: the Adirondacks, New York City and Western New York.

“Believe Day kicks off the holiday season at Van Schaick each year,” said Jacqueline DeChiaro, the school's principal. “We show the students a short video about the Make-A-Wish Foundation so they can see that their small act of writing a letter is granting a wish to a sick child.”