Second- and third-grade boys and girls from Zachary Elementary were all smiles last week as they attended the Broncos for Kids annual Christmas party Dec. 16 at the ZHS Academic Athletic Building and the ZHS gymnasium.

The event is a community service project sponsored by the Zachary High football program, and new this year, the annual event included Lady Broncos from the ZHS softball, volleyball, soccer, golf, track, cheer and dance teams, as well as the male student athletes on the cheer squads.

Young girls jumped rope, made "snow" angels with toilet paper and played games prior to touring the high school gymnasium. Afterwards, each 7-9-year-old girl chose a gift from under the tree to open with their mentors.

Players from the ZHS varsity football team also bought Christmas presents for the boys from ZES, in an effort to give back to their younger fans.

The boys donned Bronco jerseys and were paired up with football players. The groups then took to the football field where they ran races, threw the football and got to hang out with their mentors, prior to touring the weight room in the ZHS Academic Athletic Building.

"Anytime we can have our young adults help out young kids who look up to them, we want to be able to do that," said Weiner. "It just gives our kids a great chance to give back to somebody else.