Students, faculty and staff at KU School of Medicine-Wichita enjoy giving back through various volunteer projects throughout the year, but it's the school's longtime partnership with Park Elementary - a partnership spanning 24 years - that demonstrates the magic of the holiday season.

Since 1998, KU School of Medicine-Wichita has arranged for students at Park Elementary School in Wichita to receive a special visit from Santa, who delivers them gifts from faculty, staff, medical students and resident physicians. The event was so successful in its first couple of years that it has evolved, with Baby Jay taking the helm at surprising the Park Elementary students when they visit the KU Wichita campus during the holidays each year.

The students each submit a wish list, and Baby Jay surprises them with one item from their list.

KU School of Medicine-Wichita's partnership with Park Elementary "makes a positive difference in the lives of many Park Elementary students," said Kristi Franks, principal at Park Elementary, adding that the students "loved every minute" of their holiday visit to the medical school.

The visit to KU School of Medicine-Wichita gives students a special opportunity to see the inside of a medical school, along with the opportunity to interact in a social setting outside of their own school.

"We appreciate KU School of Medicine-Wichita's commitment to Park throughout the school year as well as in the special events for our students," Franks said. "We appreciate the vision of different careers and interest in science and medicine that these visits help create in our students."

See the online photo album from this year's holiday event at KU School of Medicine-Wichita.