Texas Elementary School Students Donate Allowances and Raise Money to Help Classmate See in Color

A group of Texas 5th graders have raised money and donated their allowances to help a colorblind classmate see in color for the first time.

The kids did the good deed secretly to surprise their friend and classmate, Jaron Casillas.

“They’ve been keeping a secret, which is huge,” Christina Hayes, a teacher at Glenhope Elementary School in Colleyville, said, according to a report from local station KTVZ. “For 10 and 11-year-olds, keeping a secret is a really big deal.”

Hayes had asked the class about their favorite colors, which led to the students learning that Casillas didn’t have one because he could not see them.

“It’s pretty much all colors,” the student explained when asked which colors he cannot see.

His mother, Lindsay Casillas, said she realized her son was colorblind when he looked at her and said, “Mommy, look at what a beautiful green sunrise!”

Colors like greens, purples, and blues all appear as gray to him.

According to the report, “Trees are yellow, and the colorful classroom and world around him has been different until his classmates decided to take matters into their own hands, collecting their allowances and donations to buy Jaron special glasses.”

The students bought two pairs of glasses, one that will help him see color indoors and another pair for outside.

“I was just like, ‘Is this what everyone else was seeing this whole time?’ It just makes me feel thankful because I didn’t know they would do this for me. I know my friends are true for doing this for me,” Jaron said.

The student’s mother praised her son’s friends and said that their actions give everyone hope.

“The hearts of these children in a time like this…it gives us all hope,” she said. “I think he sees what true friendship is, and caring people around him, and I hope he carries this with him and remembers this for a long time.”