Students from St. Stephens and St. Agnes Upper and Middle School donated more than 300 toys and gift cards as part of the 2013 Firefighters and Friends annual Holiday Toy Drive.

"This will help us in making sure those less fortunate kids in Alexandria and Fairfax County will not go without a gift this holiday season," said Capt. Willie Bailey, founder of the nonprofit organization Firefighters and Friends. "This is the sixth year that they have assisted us with this worthy cause."

Coordinated by SSSA history teacher Karen Ruberg, the students were instructed to choose toys appropriate for children of their own age. "Older kids are the ones most forgotten at this time of year," Bailey added.

Students spent part of the day Dec. 12 helping firefighters pack and load the collected toys that were slated for distribution to area charities Dec. 17 at Penn Daw Fire Station 11.

Assisting Ruberg and the students in loading the toys were Charlotte Riggs, director of SSSA Middle School; Michael Johnson, Alexandria Recreation Department Community Outreach Specialist, and Brian Bundy of the Fairfax County Fire Department.