SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Presents under the tree might not be the reason for the season, but no one understands better the pure joy of finding gifts waiting on Christmas morning than children.

Perhaps that’s why — barely one week into collection efforts — response to toy drives in all four Spanish Fort schools has been so strong barely.

Spanish Fort High School’s National Honor Society extended its month-long drive benefiting the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program by one week to Dec. 8.

“So far, the club has collected over 50 toys, as well as quite a few monetary donations,” said SFHS historian Sara Beth Deas. The effort, she said, was not limited to society members and attracted enthusiastic schoolwide participation.

Deas said repeated morning announcements about the program — complemented by a Toys for Tots video and Christmas music — have helped fuel participation, and students have been “very eager to donate,” prompting the extension.

“Several (students) have donated multiple toys, while (society members) were only required to donate one,” she said.

Established in Los Angeles in 1947 by Maj. Bill Hendricks, Toys for Tots distributed 5,000 gifts to children in need that year, and the program was adopted officially by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves the following year. Since that time, the program and its nonprofit foundation have distributed more than 400 million toys to more than 188 million children nationwide.

Of course, SFHS is only one local school helping make Christmas a little brighter for some of Baldwin County’s littlest residents.

Spanish Fort Elementary School’s Toys for Tots drive — launched Nov. 29 — will continue until Dec. 9.

“There are collection boxes throughout the campus, and each morning a member of the student council appears on our broadcast to inform and remind the students about the project,” said SFES Principal Becky Comer: Our student council is sponsoring a Toys for Tots drive now through Dec. 9.

The student council also collected canned goods during November, delivering the proceeds to Prodisee Pantry for distribution the Friday before Thanksgiving, Comer said.

Meanwhile, Spanish Fort Middle School’s Student Government Association and Beta Club have partnered to host a Toys for Tots drive that wraps up Dec. 10. SGA faculty adviser Heather Price, who teaches seventh-grade math, said students will be collecting unwrapped toys until 8:30 a.m. that day.

Donations will be tracked by each of the school’s 10 homerooms, and Price said the class reporting the highest collection rate will be treated to a pizza party.

Rockwell Elementary School has branched out — literally — from its sister schools, opting instead to support Baldwin County Angel Tree efforts this holiday season.

“This project is something that (Rockwell Principal Robbie) Owen and I started when we were at Daphne Elementary School and continued it when Rockwell opened in 1997,” said Rockwell Secretary Joy O’Farrell.

Assisted by the PTA, O’Farrell said presents will be collected through Dec. 10 to provide 101 “angels” from Rockwell, Pine Grove, Stapleton and Delta Elementary schools. Each angel supported by Rockwell will receive four presents, she said.

Spokeswoman Stacy Killingsworth with the coastal Alabama affiliate of the Salvation Army said some 500 Baldwin County children will be served by the Angel Tree program this year with another 3,000 assisted in Mobile and Washington counties.