At ages 3, 7 and 8, the Patterson kids have only a short time until their belief in a certain tubby, white-whiskered Christmas icon fades away.

But, for now, the siblings from McKees Rocks' Bottoms -- Makayla, Michael and Nichelle -- say, yes, there is a Santa Claus. Nine Santas to be exact, all bleary-eyed from final exams and yearning for some home cooking after a semester of dorm food and Ramen noodles. They traveled from their Downtown campus, bringing holiday fun along with a few presents.

The three children and their mother, Diana, were showered with Christmas gifts last Thursday by nine members of the Point Park University Student Ambassadors organization. The visit was part of a relationship the school's Community Outreach Partnership Center has with McKees Rocks.

While the kids waited for the student Santas to arrive, they bounced around the modest apartment. Anticipation and excitement hung thick as they speculated on what the surprise might be.

"Toys are my life!" the sociable Nichelle announced. So, which ones did she want as a present? "All of 'em!" she laughed.

When footfalls could be heard in the hallway, the three kids shrieked with laughter and ran around the apartment as if they had bugs in their britches, before diving behind the couch to hide.

Eight college girls and a guy appeared through the doorway with an enviable pool of presents in tow.

"The only thing that I want for us is a tree" to put up in the living room, said Diana Patterson, a single, working mom. That request was obliged, and then some. The students brought and put together a new 6-foot artificial tree with lights and all the trimmings, including a set of glass ornaments with the children's names inscribed on them.

Christen Ertel, a senior from Bricktown, N.J., double-majoring in dance and sports, arts & entertainment management, coordinated the event with her fellow ambassadors.

The group began collecting money for the Patterson family in November. They held a bake sale, among other things, Ms. Ertel said, to raise $500 for gifts and to shop at Wal-Mart for age-appropriate gifts, clothes and food.

While Nichelle played with her new Barbie dolls, Michael displayed a Shrek video game and little Makayla tried to ride her shiny tricycle through the living room. The students presented Diana Patterson with a necklace with three heart-shaped charms -- one for each of her kids.

In addition to the toys, the Pattersons were given a big box of canned goods and a bag stuffed with snack foods.

Sue Oatey, the university's vice president of student affairs, accompanied the students on their Santa mission. She said Point Park chose to work with McKees Rocks because of the learning opportunities available at the Focus On Renewal cultural arts after-school program center.

The Point Park Community Outreach Partnership Center is a federally funded program that provides partnership opportunities between colleges/universities and local communities by creating community outreach centers to address problems in urban areas.

Point Park University operates the program in partnership with F.O.R., a nonprofit human service agency that has served McKees Rocks and Stowe for more than 35 years.

Earlier in the month, a group of Point Park resident advisers raised $450 for another McKees Rocks single mother, Sharee Burton, to make sure that her three children have a merry Christmas.

It seems to have done the trick in the Patterson home.

"I was ready to cry there for a minute," Ms. Patterson said. "It was really nice."