by Aidan Bow/Staff Writer

Photo: https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=26496&picture=winter

Winter is a wonderful time of year. Many holidays occur during winter; some of the largest ones are Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. All of these holidays have a long history and are connected to many religions and cultures.

According to history.com, the Christmas holiday began in the fourth century as a Christian holiday to celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth.  According to Pew Research, 65% of Americans identify as Christian. It is not known when the actual date of Jesus’ birth was, so Pope Julius I chose December 25th as the day of celebration.  The decision behind the chosen date is believed to have started as an effort to dismiss the Pagan holiday known as the Saturnalia Festival.  Christmas had spread to Europe by 432 and was well known in England by the end of the sixth century. Christmas was originally called the Feast of the Nativity.  It is now referred to as Christmas worldwide, and is usually celebrated with a decorated pine tree, gifts and a large feast, each signifying an attribute to that time. More traditionally, the story of Santa Claus and stockings are now included in the celebrations.

There are many stories of Hanukkah, but this is the most well known.  In the year 200 BC there was a large religious rebellion between Syria and Israel.  Israel was victorious, and a Jewish Priest, Judah, called on his followers to cleanse the Second Temple, rebuild the altar and light the menorah. History.com stated the menorah itself was a gold candelabrum, which stands for knowledge and creation, and was supposed to burn every night.  During this rededication of the second temple, a “miracle” was witnessed.  The menorah only had enough oil to burn for one night, but somehow, it burned for eight nights, giving them time to obtain more oil.  The Jewish sages proclaimed an eight day festival involving the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts, to celebrate this wondrous event.  Hanukkah always begins on the ninth month of the Jewish (lunar) calendar. 

Kwanzaa is a fairly new winter holiday tradition, founded in the 20th century by Dr. Maulana Karenga, in an effort to bring African Americans together as a community.  Kwanzaa is not a religious based holiday, but a cultural one.  Every family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, many celebrating Kwanzaa and Christmas together.  According to History.com, Kwanzaa celebrations often include songs, dances, African drums, storytelling, and a large traditional meal.  Kwanzaa is celebrated for seven nights, each night starting with one of the family’s children lighting the appropriate candle on the Kinara, and discussing one of the seven principals.  There are also seven symbols, both principles and symbols are used to represent different values and concepts reflective to African culture.  At the end of the seventh day, a feast called a Karamu is held on December 31st.

You might be wondering about the city of Greenfield’s winter traditions. Brigette Cook Jones, the past president and current director of the Blue River Township Hancock County Historical Society had this to say: 

Greenfield’s residents primarily celebrated Christmas, as most families were Christians.  There were a few Jewish families, but Greenfield did not have a Synagogue and their population was not large.  Greenfield was founded in 1828, at this time, celebrations were meager with each person celebrating in their home, or attending a Christmas service at their local church.  By the 1840’s and 1850’s you would start to see the German tradition of Christmas trees in several homes.  Late local poet, James Whitcomb Riley, wrote about his home Christmas traditions, which included Christmas tree’s, stockings and Santa Clause.  By the 1920’s, Greenfield was decorated with electric lights and a tree.  A nativity scene was displayed on the courthouse lawn starting in 1957.  Over the years, Greenfield has grown many Christmas traditions and outgrown others.  Some of these traditions include, the Christmas tree lighting and parade, along with Santa’s arrival, Santa Breakfast, downtown merchant decorations, gingerbread house contests, vendors, carriage rides, drive thru light shows, holiday movies at the Rick’s theater, Christmas tours at Riley’s boyhood home, school programs, as well as most churches having a candlelit service, special dinner and even elaborate presentations that bring people in from outside of the county. Hancock County has almost 90 Christian churches in the area, so there is still a lot of Christian influence in Greenfield.

Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza all have a lot of history.  They are each special in their own way.  Everybody celebrates winter differently, and that’s okay.

History.com links

Christmas link

Hanukkah link

Kwanzaa link

Image 1 link

by Mia Harr/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: FCCLA’s Connor Griffith, 10, talks to a winter bazaar customer.

The Winter bazaar was a success this year, with the booths stretching beyond the cafeteria, around the auditorium, library, and even into some of the academic halls. The booths were from local vendors selling things they made or from direct sales companies.

The winter bazaar is a craft show for people to do some shopping from some local small businesses, but it’s also the main fundraiser for FCCLA. FCCLA president Isabelle Monsma, 10, said, “The winter bazaar helps a lot with our club fees, like it makes our state fees cheaper so more people can come and it also helps with nationals if we make it there. It also helps with other field trips and community service we do.” The winter bazaar’s main goal was to raise money for the club but also to help small businesses. 

Monsma explained what to expect. “We have lots of people attending.  We have most of FCCLA coming to work, friends, family, we have lots of local vendors, the drama club, and we even have a few people who have graduated but were in FCCLA coming.” 

FCCLA runs the entire event. This year the students from FCCLA helped set up by promoting, putting up years signs, assisting vendors in their booths, they helped move and carry items, ran booths when vendors needed breaks, baked foods to sell, helped with concessions, and at the very end they cleaned up at the end. Monsma said, “FCCLA runs the whole thing. We make the food we sell and we plan the whole thing. Mrs. (Janelle) Keusch, our adviser, does a lot, thank God.”  They stayed after school Friday till 8pm to set up and went back at 6:30 am to continue setting up. Some of the main dishes from the event were homemade cinnamon rolls, pumpkin rolls, cookies, and lasagna or chicken noodle soup for lunch.  

However, there were challenges to this event.  Keusch stated, “The set up is most challenging due to the quick turnaround times at the end of the day. All the planning and prep takes so many hours to do.” 

Monsma stated, “We have a limited amount of people to work with and it’s amazing that it’s expanding but also it makes it more to manage.” There was a lot of planning and challenges that went into the winter bazaar but most say it was successful. 

Monsma was asked about the winter bazaar and her response was, “The winter bazaar is about community. Without local vendors and local shoppers we wouldn’t be able to do it. It reminds me a lot of Riley Days.  Lots of people come together and support each other.” The winter bazaar is an event that’s involved with the community and support from others. Keusch, when asked if she was excited, stated, “Of course! It is crazy busy, chaotic and fun.” Monsma was excited about the winter bazaar being a lot bigger this year. She described it as a very stressful thought but she knew all the hard work would pay off and it would be amazing. 

Staff Writer: Janna Hopper

We are finally falling right into the holiday season! And what is one of the first things people think of when it comes to the holidays? Food. Sandy Powell, FACS teacher here at GCHS, thinks it is because of holiday specific treats and baking traditions. Janelle Keusch, another FACS teacher, states that “Anytime people gather together, it usually centers around food.” 

There is no doubt that the holidays have food in abundance, but what are some good options for mealtime? The first important thing to remember is to not overdo it. Keusch says that a great way to stay healthier during the holidays is to have “smaller portions, everything in moderation.” Though she does agree that this is easier said than done!

It is important to eat smaller portions to stay healthy after holiday meals, because boy is there a lot of great, but not very healthy, stuff to eat! Both Powell and Keusch agree that cookies are classic holiday treats. As for the rest of the meal, Powell recommends a meat and cheese tray along with popular turkey and ham. Keusch adds casseroles and pies, while also mentioning quicker alternatives such as wings or waffles.

Powell and Keusch each offered recipes to try over the holidays; Christmas Crackle, pecan pie bars, and potato coconut bars. I made the Christmas Crackle, a four ingredient treat that was easy to make with very little hassle.

The first step was boiling two sticks of butter and a cup of brown sugar.

Then, after pouring it over a tray lined with saltine crackers on aluminum, it went into the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Once it came out, it was covered in chocolate chips. Spreading these out as they melted covered the whole thing in chocolate goodness.

Finally the hardest part: sticking it in the fridge for two hours instead of eating it right away. Tasty and fun, it’s a great way to put a dessert on the table without having to go through hours or overnights of trouble!

Of course, it is important to remember that the food isn’t the most important part of the holidays. As Powell puts it “Sharing stories and laughing together around the table” is one of the best parts of holiday meals. So whether you are eating take out or a huge homemade spread, remember to spend time with those close to you.

Have a happy holidays!

Photo caption: the process to make Christmas Crackle

By Izabelle Monsma /Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Days like this gray December day may be something that can affect SAD. Photo by Izabelle Monsma

Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, can include a more frequent depressive mood for people who deal with depression, low energy levels, low self-esteem, over or under sleeping, less interest in activities that normally bring enjoyment, changes in weight, craving certain foods such as carbohydrates and sweets, and more. Mr. Joshua Holden (health teacher and coach) talked about other symptoms: “withdrawing from others, lack of joy in things that they used to enjoy or most kids would enjoy, extreme fatigue,  mood swings, drop in school performance, etc…”

Most of the time it will start early in fall and get worse through winter getting its worst in December through February and getting better as it gets warm again.  Ms. Jennifer Haston (GOAL Classroom and Behavior Coach) said, “We do usually see a spike of people coming throughout the winter.” SAD is most common in women but is also seen in men. It is unknown why it’s more common in women. It normally starts in young adulthood and will go throughout the adult years. 

Some studies show that GPAs drop in most fall semesters. They show good grades at first, but as it gets colder they drop, then in the spring semester they come back up to normal. Holden said, “I still struggle sometimes.  Now, think about how many 14 or 15-year-old students we have who have not been diagnosed.  They receive no form of treatment.  They struggle alone without people understanding why they feel the way they do.  It is incredibly hard for these students.  They need people in their lives who understand what they are going through and how to help them.”

Some people say it has nothing to do with SAD but information from Paradigm Treatment Centers, paradigmtreatment.com, who help teens and young adults, says that depression in teens can cause difficulty in concentration, planning and organizing, hypersensitivity, and more and all of those things affect grades. The same article says that teens will often refuse tasks if seen as too difficult because they doubt their ability, so that means that it can cause people to think they are just not trying but they are capable of doing the task and will affect their self esteem more than it already is.

SAD can also really affect relationships. It’s important to make sure that you are thinking about things before you do them to protect your relationships with a person affected by SAD. It can be hard for you and the person to get along and understand each other but it’s important to show compassion. An article from health.com says that there is a good chance a person dealing with SAD might cancel plans and it will take them longer to complete tasks than it normally would. (https://www.health.com/condition/depression/seasonal-affective-disorder-relationships) It may seem like laziness or lack of interest but if you give them time and space while also showing you are here for them and you care they will eventually come around. It may seem confusing and know that it’s not your responsibility to make others happy but that doesn’t mean you can’t do things to show you are there for them. Always remember that your mental and physical health always come first.

If you think you might have SAD or any other mental illness it’s important to get it diagnosed as soon as you can. Going without treatment can make things worse so talk to your doctor about any worries you may have. After being diagnosed there are lots of treatment options. There’s light exposure, phototherapy (light therapy), talk therapy, medications and if none of those things work you can work with your doctor to find a better solution for you. 

There are things that you can do to ease the effects of SAD. It’s important to find the pattern as soon as possible and then you can prepare yourself in the fall. You can try a UV light “sun” exposure can help a lot. Haston has some of these lamps in the break room.

It’s really important to pay attention to how you’re feeling so you don’t get stuck in a cycle. Holden said, “I suffer from depression and it is really tough when winter comes.  The weather changes, it’s gloomy out all of the time, and it’s dark when I get to school and dark when I leave school.  I really have to pay attention to how I feel this time of year.”

Lots of people may deny the fact that they are feeling these ways. Haston says, “Denial is the biggest thing. (Students) will say they are okay but then be skipping because they just can’t handle the class.” She also talked about finding an outlet. If you can’t talk to family, get to the doctor, maybe a trusted adult or a teacher you think you can trust. Even though it’s much better to talk to adults, if you don’t have any adults, a friend that is okay with you talking to them about it could even help to listen.

So just overall whether it’s seasonal depression, anxiety, depression, or other mental illnesses, it’s important to get help as soon as you can. If you go untreated it can be harder to deal with and understand later in life. It’s also important to know the signs whether it’s for you or others, and just because someone says they are okay does not always mean they are. Mental illnesses are real and they are not just something you make up or that you can control. It’s also not a joking matter. Making jokes about these things is why some people don’t take it seriously and mental illnesses are very harmful, something to keep in mind when thinking about how to approach others during this season.

by Connor Griffith/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Huy Nguyen, 9, and Grace Hurst, 10, cater for teachers at parent-teacher conferences.

Since school started FCCLA has been working hard. The group has been having Monday meetings almost every week, and has had some activities. FCCLA is the Family Career and Community Leaders of America. It is a group in the FACS department run by Mrs. Janelle Keusch. “My favorite thing about FCCLA is the people, and the environment it creates. We are like one big family,” stated Izabelle Mosma, 10, FCCLA President. Olivia Strickland, 9, a new member, said, “My favorite thing is the people.” 

The group went to the State Fairgrounds to volunteer at the Dairy Barn. They helped serve people, and make sandwiches for customers. “I am really wanting to do more community service this year,” Monsma said when asked about what she would like to do. The group recently did catering for the teachers at Parent Teacher Conferences. They work very hard at FCCLA to be the best versions of themselves.

They are a completely student-run organization which is oversee by the advisor Mrs. Keusch. They are run by a group of officers. Each year a new officer team is voted on, and is ultimately chosen by the advisor. This year the officer team consists of 8 officers: Monsma, 10, Reese Hearn, 12,  Lauren Haney, 11, Kiera Hope, 10,  Connor Griffith, 10, Vaughn Wallacer, 11, Cassius Day, 10, Mallory Schnecker, 12, and Americas Thompson, 11.

The group is always accepting new people in the club at all times. “I was a part of FCCLA last year and it was fun, therefore I decided to return this year,” Haney stated. FCCLA offers so many opportunities for everyone; they present scholarships and hold state and national competitions. Last year they attended a state conference and Grace Hurst(10)  (FCCLA Member) qualified for the national conference in San Diego, California. It was a great time for everyone who went, members said. 

For many this group is a fun, welcoming place. “FCCLA has always been a fun and relaxing club that I enjoy,” said Haney. “FCCLA means family, because I have my closest friends with me and my favorite teachers. That is where I want to be when I’m having a hard time,” Monsma said. 

Photo 1- Kiera Hope, 10,  Kiera makes a fruit Tart at FCCLA Fall Conference.

Photo 2 – Reese Cooksey, 9, Reese makes a fruit Tart at FCCLA Fall Conference.

By Audrey Marguet/Staff Writer

The cold is coming back, the leaves are slowly turning red, and autumn is coming. And what better way to spend this season than in the kitchen?

The freshmen of GC took a survey to present to you the most loved fall food this year.

And the winner is…

The pumpkin pie!

First known as “tourte of pumpkin”, its creation dates back to 1651, when the famous French chef Francois Pierre la Varenne included it in his famous cookbook Le Vrai Cuisinier François

(The True French Cook). Later, in 1670, the recipe for pumpkin pie began to appear in English cookbooks and sound more familiar. Some spices were added to the original recipe as well as sometimes apples or grapes.

Currently, it has become one of the most popular desserts during the fall season and is really appreciated by most Americans, or at least by most of the GC freshmen.

Here is a recipe that you can use to prepare this dessert at home and treat your family :

Ingredients :

• Homemade Pie Dough
• egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk
• one 15oz can (about 2 cups; 450g) pumpkin puree
• 3 large eggs
• 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon (8g) cornstarch

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
• 1/4 cup (60ml) milk 

Instructions :

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

• Roll out the chilled pie crust: Remove 1 disc of pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Make sure to turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch deep pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it’s tightly pressed into the pie dish. Fold any dough overhang back into the dish to form a thick rim around the edges. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with your fingers. Brush edges lightly with egg wash mixture.

• Par-bake the crust: Line the pie crust with parchment paper. Crunching up the parchment paper is helpful so that you can easily shape it into the crust. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. (Note that you will need at least 2 standard sets of pie weights to fit.) Make sure the weights/beans are evenly distributed around the pie dish. Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper/pie weights. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork to create steam vents and return crust (without weights) to the oven for 7-8 more minutes or until the bottom is just starting to brown. 

• Make the pumpkin pie filling: Whisk the pumpkin, 3 eggs, and brown sugar together until combined. Add the cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, heavy cream, and milk. Vigorously whisk until everything is combined.

• Pour pumpkin pie filling into the warm crust. Only fill the crust about 3/4 of the way up. (If using a deep dish pie dish as instructed, you should only have a little filling leftover. Use extra to make mini pies with leftover pie dough scraps if you’d like.) Bake the pie until the center is almost set, about 55-60 minutes give or take. A small part of the center will be wobbly – that’s ok. After 25 minutes of baking, be sure to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from getting too brown. Check for doneness at minute 50, and then 55, and then 60, etc.

• Once done, transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool completely for at least 3 hours before garnishing and serving.

• Decorate with pie crust leaves . Serve pie with whipped cream if desired.

• Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

This is a pumpkin pie that I made with the recipe in this story. It was delicious and really easy to make.

(Recipe found on https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/the-great-pumpkin-pie-recipe/ )

by Trot Scholl/Staff Writer

Ms. Jordan Mosser is one of the foreign language teachers in the high school. Many students at Greenfield think she is a great teacher. Student Bryson Pratt, 12,  says, “She teaches very well. She goes in depth about her work she assigns. Every time I have a question about the assignment she answers it very well so I can understand.”

At first she did not plan on being a teacher. She said, “Originally I did not want to be a teacher but I told myself if I was going to study German then I would either be in teaching or in business.” Ms. Mosser was very close to switching her major to elementary education but decided that working with kids around high school age fit her better. She was always pushed by her old German teacher at her high school. “My German teacher kept pushing me to learn and keep using German, but she never pushed me to be a German teacher.”

 While yes at first Ms. Mosser didn’t want to be a teacher, this doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy teaching. She stated, “I like helping students learn German and other things that aren’t German and other things about the world so you can be young and functioning adults in the world. At the end of the day, I know most of you won’t use German after highschool but I like to see my students challenge themselves.” 

Ms. Mosser also helps with the foreign exchange students. “I think it’s fun to see how they react to American culture and how they react to American schools. I think it’s fun to work with kids from other places because they have other perspectives on the world,” Mosser stated.

Ms. Mosser is very fluent in German and can help students learn German very easily with her help. Pratt said, “Since she is so fluent, she can teach it very well to where I can understand the work.” She helps as many of her students to understand the subject as she can and explains her assignments very well.

Ms. Mosser is a very good teacher with helping other students, helping the foreign exchange students and many other things. Ms. Mosser, who wasn’t planning on being a teacher in the first place, is a very helpful instructor at the high school.

by Justice Hyde/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Ms. Mikayla Bowman works in her FACS classroom. Photo by Justice Hyde

GCHS’s newest FACS teacher Mikayla Bowman is a former GC graduate who just became a certified teacher at the start of this school year. When she was a student at GC she took every FACS class she could, and in fact she currently works with many of her old FACS teachers. Ms. Bowman has only been teaching for a month, but she is already being described as “fantastic” by fellow FACS teacher Mrs. Sandy Powell. But there is much more to Ms. Bowman than what meets the eye.

Ms. Bowman’s mom was a teacher, so she spent much of her childhood in classrooms, and has always been enthusiastic about teaching. “I always wanted to help around the classroom or grade papers,” Bowman stated. Mrs. Bowman coaches the GCHS dance team, and has been coaching since before she became a teacher, so she’s always been active in GC schools. 

Ms. Bowman graduated from GCHS in 2017. When asked what made her decide to come back to GC schools as a teacher, Bowman asked, “Why wouldn’t a teacher want to teach at the same school they graduated from?” She described how amazing it is to be working in the exact classroom she fell in love with FACS in. 

Ms. Bowman puts amazing amounts of effort into her job even having only been here for a few weeks. Mrs. Powell, a fellow FACS teacher, complimented her by describing her with terms like passionate, creative, and intelligent. She is well liked by her students, with many naming her their favorite teacher even having only known her for a few weeks. “When some of my students were asked what class they looked forward to the most, many of them said my FACS class,” Ms. Bowman said.

Bowman is already known throughout the student body for her fun and energetic way of teaching. She always manages to keep class interesting and fun, while still making sure students are able to learn all that they need to be successful in her class.