Now in its 9th edition, the Avenor Christmas Charity Fair has become a cherished tradition within the Avenor community and one of the most energetic projects, coordinated entirely by students. Each year, the fair brings together the joy of the holiday season, stands filled with treats, games, carols, and artistic performances that transform the school into a vibrant space full of smiles and enthusiasm, all driven by the motivation of supporting a charitable cause.
At the heart of this event is, every time, the team of student organizers. This year’s edition saw no fewer than 45 students involved in the organization, taking care of every detail, from children’s activities and musical moments to setup and the smooth running of the entire fair.
For the second year in a row, the coordination of this extensive effort was led by Sonia and Ana, 12th-grade students from Omega. Managing a team of 45 colleagues and approximately 50 volunteers, planning every detail, and quickly adapting to unforeseen situations turned this project into a genuine leadership experience. For them, the fair became an authentic learning exercise about responsibility, collaboration, and what it truly means, in practice, to coordinate an event dedicated to the entire community.
Behind the Scenes
For Ana and Sonia, the Christmas Charity Fair was an intense experience that challenged them to push their limits and to understand the importance of coordinating a project that requires a tremendous organizational effort and delivers an equally significant impact. Each edition comes with its own challenges and tense moments, and for Ana, the most difficult one came just 20 minutes before the fair opened: „I saw a sea of children heading toward the booths, while we were not yet in our final positions. For a few minutes, it was chaos, but our team’s effective collaboration made it possible to resolve everything quickly. This experience showed me how important leadership and teamwork truly are.”
Sonia fondly recalls the atmosphere created by the youngest participants: “At the raffle draw, a crowd of eager children gathered, and the artistic performances were extremely well received. I was also impressed by the dedication of the volunteers at the booths, who contributed a great deal of energy and commitment to the success of the event”.
Lessons Learned and Charitable Impact
Coordinating the fair gave the team the opportunity to develop essential skills: communication, leadership, event planning, time management, and resilience. “The event helped me develop skills such as public speaking, leadership, event organization, time management, and resilience. Most importantly, it gave me valuable connections and helped me discover myself,” says Ana.
Their efforts resulted in a remarkable outcome: 62,000 RON, an amount that will be donated to Tășuleasa Social Association for the restoration of two Saxon households in Târnăvioara. The houses will be included in the Via Transilvanica route and will function as social economy hubs, supporting local community development and creating opportunities for people in the area.
“We have been attached to the Târnăvioara project since 2024 and we want to do things that have a real impact. We are extremely proud of our team, of the entire community that contributed to the success of the event, and, last but not least, of ourselves – for not giving up when things got tough and for managing to create a truly meaningful event,” say Sonia and Ana.
The story of the Avenor Christmas Charity Fair will continue next year under the guidance of Mara and Erica, 10th-grade students. We wish them great success and can’t wait to experience together the special moments of the next edition.
