KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (OSV News) ─ There aren't any hearts two sizes too small in the third grade at St. Joseph School: only hearts three sizes larger.
How can you tell? Just look at the Grinch-themed Christmas tree the students in Jenifer Ingram's class created to raise money for East Tennessee Children's Hospital in Knoxville and its cancer-treatment program.
Third-grader Hattie Halter is the inspiration behind the classroom project that has brought Christmas joy not only to the St. Joseph community but also to people throughout East Tennessee who saw Hattie, her classmates and their heart-filled Christmas tree featured in a news segment on local station WBIR-TV.
Hattie, who many would say has all the qualities of Cindy-Lou Who (bright, friendly, energetic, hopeful and a strong believer in the true spirit of Christmas), has an especially close connection to Children's Hospital. She is a patient ambassador there, telling the public about all the good things happening at the pediatric medical center while regularly visiting patients, a youthful lay ministry she knows something about.
Hattie, who is 8, was a Children's Hospital patient herself. And as a cancer survivor, she knows all too well about the health center that has saved her life.
"I remember that I had cancer and I was in Children's Hospital. I had leukemia. Other kids had cancer, and I prayed for the other kids who had cancer, too," Hattie said while sitting in Ingram's classroom after the class Christmas tree was displayed at the popular Fantasy of Trees, an annual holiday festival held at the Knoxville Convention Center that raises money for Children's Hospital.
Even though Hattie's cancer is in remission, she is at Children's frequently for blood tests to monitor the remission, which is in its seventh year.
Hattie was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia when she was 9 months old. She was treated with chemotherapy at Children's Hospital and received a bone-marrow transplant at TriStar Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, where she also received radiation treatments and chemotherapy.
Although the Halter family lives in Knoxville, Hattie was in Nashville for three months receiving life-giving care. Now, she goes to East Tennessee Children's Hospital for checkups every six months.
"I need to get blood work because Mr. Jack, he had to give me some of his blood, so I have to get blood work every few weeks," Hattie said, referring to her bone-marrow donor.
She continues to receive regular medical care at Children's for complications from the cancer treatment.
"As part of that process, Hattie is an ambassador for Children's Hospital. So, you might see photos or videos of her on the hospital's marketing materials. She is basically a spokesperson for East Tennessee Children's Hospital," said Melissa Halter, Hattie's mother, who serves as a learning specialist and an assistant to intermediate grades at St. Joseph School.
When her mom asked her to describe what she does as a patient ambassador, Hattie said, "We give stuff to people like cards that have me on them and posters and free stuff to get people to buy things that help Children's Hospital."
Melissa Halter explained that for the 2025 edition of Fantasy of Trees, the fundraising focus was on hematology oncology ─ cancer of the blood ─ so participation in the event by Hattie and her classmates was a divinely inspired kinship.
Hattie's mother, holding back tears, described with pride her daughter and the third-grader's courageous efforts. Hattie works hard in class, but ophthalmology and endocrinology complications from her cancer treatment make normal challenges in school doubly difficult.
"She is amazing. And she exudes sunshine. Her gift from God, I feel like, is the way she makes other people feel. It's her words of affirmation and how she is so kind and loving to all and accepting to all. That isn't something that everyone has," Halter told The East Tennessee Catholic, the news outlet of the Knoxville Diocese.
Halter recalled a Diocese of Knoxville orientation workshop where educational priorities were enumerated for diocesan educators. And while educational excellence was a top priority, it was placed in context.
"On the PowerPoint, it said ‘Heaven, not Harvard.' I live by that now because heaven is more important than Harvard. If you can get both, that's fine. But for me, Hattie sends that energy, and she has that gift that she shares with others. I think that's why Children's Hospital wanted her to represent them. They took such good care of her," Halter said. "She is cancer-free. She has her side effects, but she is cancer-free."
She is equally complimentary and grateful to St. Joseph School for the care and attention given to Hattie and her younger brother, Job, who is in preschool.
"I and my husband, John, wanted God for them in their education and all the things that are included. St. Joseph is a blessing. They are so accommodating and loving and caring. The whole community has been accepting. And that's why we love it here at St. Joseph," Melissa Halter said.
The hundreds of Christmas trees featured at the Fantasy of Trees event are sold, with the money raised going to Children's Hospital. Prices range from $75 to $3,500 for the larger, more elaborately decorated trees. The three-foot Christmas tree Ingram's class created ─ and all those of similar size ─ sold for $75.
Room parent Amanda Thurman, whose daughter, Finley, is a third-grader and a friend of Hattie, approached Melissa Halter and suggested creating a Christmas tree for the Fantasy of Trees since the Halters have such a close connection to Children's Hospital.
The class voted to take on the project and also voted on the theme and the color of the tree. Thurman collected the money donated by all the room parents, purchased all of the supplies to make the artificial tree, and directed the creative process, which involved making the tree and all the tree decorations.
"The class chose the Grinch theme basically to focus on how the Grinch's heart grew three sizes. So, the tree is centered around the heart ─ a lot of hearts," Halter said.
Hattie explained how the class put its heart and soul into the Dr. Seuss-themed Christmas-tree, which was strong on heart with just a hint of Grinch.
"We did it in our art class. We made the ornaments with little necklace things and little plastic cards. We put bows and little sticky hearts on the front. And we put little pompoms, green or red, in the ornaments," Hattie said.
She pointed out that just as the Grinch's heart grows three sizes, her and her classmates' hearts also grew as they made their Christmas tree.
The project's significance went beyond Hattie and her "friends" at Children's Hospital.
Ingram shared that as the project began, there were two other students in the class who also are cancer survivors.
"These kids really embraced the project and are supportive of each other. They know there are times when Hattie might need some extra support. They help each other. They are like a family. It's a really neat group of kids," she said.
And in her own way, Hattie stands out at St. Joseph.
"She's an awesome kid. You can say so many amazing things about her. She is a hard worker, but she just has this bright light about her spirit, and it's contagious," Ingram said. "And I think that is the best thing about her.
"She is so happy, and she has this way of speaking that is just joyful. She will give you a hug, and she just makes you feel good. She is like that with her friends, but she also is like that with her teachers. She is such a compassionate kid," she added.
For Ingram's third-grade class the Grinch Christmas tree is already a highlight of the school year that has created a ripple effect.
The project inspired by Hattie is teaching an important lesson.
"A mission of the school is to give back. And the kids have such a great connection to this opportunity to do a project that brings awareness to them to give back to other children who are in a tough situation," Ingram pointed out. "They see how they are reaching outside of the classroom, outside of our school. I think they are enjoying that and it's something they will really remember. I know I will remember it."
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Bill Brewer is editor of The East Tennessee Catholic, the news outlet of the Diocese of Knoxville. This story was first published by The East Tennessee Catholic and distributed in partnership with OSV News.
