Gift of snow

Deepa Bharath

COSTA MESA -- Karen Romero had read stories about kids playing in the

snow.

The third-grader at Whittier Elementary School had seen pictures of

kids dressed in mittens, heavy jackets and boots and illustrations of

plump snowmen with carrot noses.

On Friday morning, she and her classmates received a rare chance to

experience the fun and magic of snow firsthand as they slid, plonked and

frolicked in 20 tons of the white stuff, which was dumped on their

playground by giant snow blowers.

It was the school’s first-ever Snow Day -- a Christmas present for the

students from the school, Principal Sharon Blakely said.

“This is something they’ve never experienced,” Blakely said. “Most of

these children haven’t had the advantage of life experience or travel.

This is the best treat we’ve been able to offer them so far.”

As Blakely tried to talk over the excited shouts of her students, they

made snow balls and took turns pulling each other in plastic sleds.

The children were dressed in gloves, sweaters and scarves. Valerie

Cornella, mother of a third- and first-grader, said her children have

been exciting about the Snow Day for weeks.

“They dressed themselves today,” she said, smiling. “They wore their

thermals, put on their warm clothes. It got them out of bed.”

Third-grader Carmen Palacios said she loved the snow so much she

wished it would snow in Costa Mesa.

“It’s cold,” she said as she was playing with a snow ball. “And it’s

wet too. I’ve never felt it before.”

Kindergarten teacher Bird Amble was tickled and touched when little

Anthony Sanchez came running into her class shouting: “Mrs. Amble, Mrs.

Amble, I just saw the ice cream.”

Head Custodian Temoc Zamarripa said he has never seen the kids so

happy.

“A lot of positive things have happened in this school,” said the

eight-year employee affectionately called “Mr. Z” by teachers and

students. “This is like a reward for everybody.”

The $2,600 expense was met covered by a private donation, Blakely

said.