Meadowbrook Elementary School fifth-grader Blake Silverman (left), 10, sizes up a necklace she's making on classmate Lindsay Bell, 11, while Maria Petrova, 11, and Celia Giles, 10, also work on crafts. They plan to sell the crafts to raise money for gifts

Meadowbrook Elementary School fifth-graders (from right) Jared Rosenthal, 11, Nate Kurson, 10, Andrew Koulogeorge, 10, and Maria Petrova, 11, work on crafts to sell to schoolmates to raise money for three needy Chicago families. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times M

Meadowbrook Elementary School fifth-grader Jared Wilkinson, 10, of Northbrook holds up one of the decorations he made at home by melting beads in a pan in the oven to sell to schoolmates to raise money for gifts for three needy Chicago families. | Ryan P

Meadowbrook Elementary School fifth-graders Angie Duff (from right), 10, Blake Silverman, 10, Jennifer Grenier, 11, and Sam Siethoff, 11, work on crafts like beaded necklaces, bracelets and duct tape wallets to sell to schoolmates to raise money for gifts

Meadowbrook Elementary School fifth-grader Johnny Sullivan, 10, makes a project to sell to schoolmates to raise money for gifts for three needy families in the Chicago area. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media

Meadowbrook Elementary School fifth-grader Maria Petrova, 11, of Northbrook works on crafts to sell to schoolmates to raise money for gifts for three needy families in the Chicago area. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media

Meadowbrook Elementary School fifth-grader Blake Silverman (right), 10, makes a beaded necklace next to Jennifer Grenier, 11, Sam Siethoff, 11, and Jared Wilkinson, 10, who are also working on crafts to sell to schoolmates to raise money for gifts for thr