How the Grinch helps others: Student dresses as Seuss favorite to benefit food bank
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Isaac Bernstein is an Upper St. Clair High School student.
Isaac Bernstein as the Grinch
Isaac Bernstein as the Easter Bunny
Next to Santa Claus and possibly Ralphie Parker, a fan favorite holiday -themed character is the Grinch.
Generations of youngsters – older folks, too – have enjoyed Dr. Seuss’ story about antagonist-turned-hero of Mount Crumpit and Whoville, and his conniving, lime-colored visage continues to entertain TV audiences this time of year.
With that in mind, Isaac Bernstein has secured a Grinch costume to wear with the intention of helping others.
The Upper St. Clair High School sophomore is booking visits to families by his seasonal alter ago, with the schedule filling up rapidly in communities such as Peters Township, Mt. Lebanon and Collier, as well as his hometown. Money he raises will be donated to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
“I’m big on trying to promote ways to end hunger,” he said. “I don’t think anyone should have to worry about basic necessities for life.”
His turn as the Grinch follows one in the spring as the Easter Bunny, an effort that generated more than $1,000 for the food bank, funding 5,500 meals.
“To be honest, I don’t actually know how the Grinch popped into my head,” Isaac said. “But once the name was kind of thrown out there, we went with it, and we’ve been able to get a really good thing going.”
Along with making visits, he is reading “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” over Zoom to children whose grandparents may not even have been born yet when Random House first published the book in 1957.
“Isaac always wants to do more,” his mother, Natalie, said. “He always wants to do more and bigger.”
For example, his road to playing the Easter Bunny started with planning an egg hunt, when he was in eighth grade at Fort Couch Middle School.
“The next year, he wanted to step it up a notch,” Natalie said. “The outpouring and the support was incredible. There were so many people who signed up without hesitation.”
In addition to dressing as an oversized rabbit, Isaac hid a thousand or so eggs in the yards he would be visiting, all stuffed by hand with pieces of candy and another special feature.
“We had personalized notes from the Easter Bunny, with information the parents provided in a Google form that I made,” Isaac said.
His mother spoke about Isaac’s courage, as a 16-year-old, in embarking on the visits.
“He doesn’t know these people. He doesn’t know how the kids are going to react. And so he has to really adapt, on his feet,” she said. “I would not be able to do that.”
Isaac will draw on his bunny experience to portray the Grinch, with the added dimension of being able to speak in his latest role.
“I’m big on interacting with the youth, and it’s harder to do that when you’re miming,” he said.
His holiday-related activities are in addition to what already constitutes an impressive list of pursuits.
At Upper St. Clair High School, he serves as student council president for his class and is vice president of two clubs, including the respect-promoting No Place for Hate. He plays hockey and percussion as a musician, and outside of school, he is learning French on his own.
“This isn’t me saying, ‘You need to do this.’ It’s, ‘Do you think I could take private French lessons? I’d really like to learn the language,'” his mother said.
Yet another of Isaac’s endeavors is Thought Process Games, a scavenger-hunt-type activity he designs for families that has come in particularly handy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I really just want to make a difference. The community has given me so much, whether it’s education or resources,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to be raised in a house that has those things that a lot of people don’t think about, so I think that if I can help, even in a small way, it makes a really big impact.”
To reserve a private and personalized visit, use the first link to reserve a time slot, and the second link to fill out information. Participants will have 15 minutes with the Grinch for as many photos and stories as they want.