by Trot Scholl/Staff Writer

Photo from: https://unsplash.com/s/photos/winter-house

Winter time is upon us. The snow and the cold are the main factors of winter time and most of the time, people have trouble dealing with the snow, cold, and gray days. To help those people, I have made a list of things to do and further in-depth descriptions on each to help you deal with the winter blahs.

-Eating/drinking warm foods and drinks

-Doing things you enjoy

-Talk to friends and family

-Take up a new hobby

-Exercise 

-Head to a sunnier climate

These are just a few things you can do to combat the winter doldrums. There are multiple other things you can do but these are just a few to name.

Eating/drinking warm foods and drinks is a very obvious one but makes the most sense. Some things that would be in this category would be of course any type of soup like chicken and noodle soup, tomato soup, and noodle soup. Some warm foods and drinks will make you feel warm and try to not focus on the cold and be focused on the warm side of things with the winter outside.

Another very obvious one but needs to be brought up is doing things you enjoy, indoors of course. People all have different things they enjoy too do. It could be from hanging out with your friends, watching a tv show or movie inside, playing video games, or even sleeping. Things that you enjoy can get your mind off of the winter time and help you be happier.

Taking up a new hobby can help get your mind off of the winter doldrums. If you end up enjoying this new hobby then you have something new to do, and if you aren’t the best at it or not into it as much as you thought you would be, you can try something new and try to take up a different hobby. Some hobbies you can try are cooking, dancing, singing, reading, and journaling, just to name a few.

Exercising could help you think about other things and try to make you feel better about the winter doldrums. You could bundle up and go for a walk/run, you could work out at home and do exercises at home, or you could go to the nearest gym and exercise there. 

Heading to a sunnier area is a great idea. You could go anywhere like California or Arizona where it’s sunny for over 300 days of the year, or even Florida while yes, it’s not as hot there as it would be during the summer, it is still a viable option.

              There are multiple other things that you can do to combat the winter doldrums. There is no real right or wrong way to combat them. Do whatever makes you happy in this time.

by Dylan Ramirez/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Carter Rankins, 10, Ms. Jamie Stein, EB teacher,  Dylan Nance, 11, and Zach Austin, 12, give their thoughts on Valentine’s Day.

At Greenfield Central, some students and staff have been interviewed to give their understanding and perspective of the Valentine’s Day holiday. Usually it’s to celebrate with the ones you love, specifically a significant other.

Carter Rankins, grade 10, said he loves going out to eat. He also offered this advice, “Ice skating is a fun and affordable way to have fun on Valentines. A candy gram is a great gift. Valentine’s Day is a day to be with you and your loved ones. I really enjoy this holiday because I love being around the people I do love and care about.”

Jamie Stein, EB teacher, also added on to that. Stein said, “Some more fun activities may be going out to dinner, movies, or even bowling. Valentine’s Day to me is a day to show how much you care about someone. Some good gifts include flowers and chocolate. I enjoy this holiday because I can buy gifts for those that I love.” 

Another student, Taylor Sweet, grade 10, said she was probably going to hang out with her boyfriend for Valentine’s. She also added, “A fun activity would be going out to dinner. I think the best gift is flowers. I get the most joy from spending time with people I care about.”  Sweet ended her comment about Valentine’s by saying it’s definitely a holiday everyone needs to celebrate.

 Another current student, Jackson Roeger, grade 11, points out that Valentine’s Day is to show your love towards people. He says he loves the idea of spending time and celebrating just because of love. “I love going out to eat and buy flowers for my loved ones. I believe flowers, candy, and love is the best gift on Valentine’s Day,” said Roeger.  

Ryker Horning, grade 11, stated this will be his first Valentine’s Day with his girlfriend. “I’m excited to spend my Valentine’s Day to go out to eat and show her my appreciation for her. Flowers and chocolates are probably the best gifts. I really enjoy this holiday because it’s just about love and how much you care about someone.” Horning also stated that he loves spending time with his mom who he loves the most. 

Jaden Markus, grade 12, said he will be spending his Valentine’s Day with his girlfriend and family. “I might go out to dinner and celebrate. I think the best gifts are flowers and maybe clothes. I like the idea of Valentine’s because it gives you the chance to show your appreciation for those you care about,” said Markus. 

Zach Austin, grade 12, said , “I hope to hang out with my female friend. A fun activity would be going out to eat and then coming back home to watch movies. The best gifts are cards, chocolate and teddy bears. What I love most about Valentine’s is how much I can show the people I love how much I love and care for them.” 

Dylan Nance, grade 11, said, “On Valentine’s Day, the best thing to do is to go out to dinner then come home and enjoy yourselves. My reason why I enjoy Valentine’s Day is because you get to spend time with ones you love.”

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be  spent with your loved ones. Hopefully most people are able to celebrate such a festive holiday. 

by Staff Writer and FCCLA President Izabelle Monsma 

There are many reasons why someone would join a club such as FCCLA, but why do they stay? Is it the people, the food, or the fun things they do throughout the school year? There are lots of things FCCLA does throughout the year that you might find fun. They go to the State Fair to volunteer at the dairy barn, do the Spring and Winter Bazaar, State, cater events, and even nationals most years. They are even doing dress up days for national FCCLA Week this week, Feb. 13-17. 

The reasons people join FCCLA came with  a multitude of different answers. Community Service Director Connor Griffith, 10, said, “I’m not going to lie to you. I originally joined because I wanted to be in the Homecoming Parade last year.” The Photography and Display Director Lauren Haney said, “I joined FCCLA because it gave me something to do and I would still be involved with the school.” 

Reasons why the members stayed and continued to participate in FCCLA really varied from wanting to make a difference and meeting people and creating new friendships. Kiera Hope, 10, Conference and Leadership Director, said, “I’ve met new friends and grown bonds with the teachers. Going to events and seeing all the other schools is a great experience.” 

Haney also said, “I decided to stay in FCCLA because we participate in community service, go to state, and I have met many great people and I now call my friends.” Many of the other members can agree with that as well. 

As for myself, Izzy Monsma,  I think one of the reasons I’ve stayed in FCCLA is because I know it has changed my life for the better and given me such amazing opportunities. I think all of this shows that FCCLA along with the people in it can make a huge difference in not only the community but your life and the lives around you. We do lots of fun activities and community service things. We are even doing dress up days for FCCLA week from Feb. 13-17. We welcome new members all throughout the year which means anyone can join at any point. Meetings are held every Monday in Mrs. Keusch’s room E127 from right after school till 4:30. We do a game every meeting, and then go through what will be happening over the next few weeks and then we have a snack. 

by Della Hedge/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Ms. Kathleen Burke, Ms. Emily Weaver, and Ms. Courtney Majors are ready to start the day with their students.

“My biggest motivation is the students’ success,” functional academic teacher Ms. Emily Weaver said. She has always wanted to be a teacher; she was pushed to shadow a life skills teacher in high school and she knew from the minute she walked in, “I wanted to make an impact in the lives of those with disabilities.” 

“My students are my WHY. My students are the reason I wake up each morning and come to work with a smile on my face. My students are my biggest motivation to be the best teacher I can be,” Weaver said.  She can feel the difference she makes every day in her classroom. Even if it’s little things like a student asking for help for the first time or independently following their schedule. “I specifically love being able to experience when students are able to generalize a skill that was taught in class and be able to use that skill in the community,” she said. She thrives on seeing students’ successes. That’s the main thing that keeps Ms. Weaver going. 

She thinks that building relationships with the parents as well is one of the most important things in working with students. “The relationship that you build, not just with students but with their families (is important),” she said. She values her students’ families and wants to make sure that the students’ best interest is in mind. 

The effects of the COVID pandemic, especially virtual learning through technology, hit Ms. Weaver’s classroom positively and negatively. “The amount of time on technology and knowledge of supports that we have using technology has tremendously increased. I also miss using paper and pencils as well.” She has started again with the paper and pencil this year, as she eases her students back to pre-pandemic conditions. She also mentioned that the communication and engagement has decreased tremendously. “It appears that some students do not have interest in communicating and engaging with others as much as before COVID occurred,” she said. 

Ms. Weaver had many dreams and goals for her classroom. One of her goals is to focus on the end of high school. She has a lot of students graduating this year and she has to prepare them for the real world. Everyone’s life after high school is different and Ms.Weaver has to prepare them for whatever they will do. “Life after high school can look different for many people and figuring out what it looks like for each student is important as they go through high school,” Ms. Weaver said. 

Ms. Courtney Majors, one of Ms. Weaver’s co-teachers, has a very similar approach. They both keep going because of their students. “My biggest motivation is my students. I want to see them succeed and become the most successful and independent individuals they can be,” Ms. Majors said. 

Last year was Ms. Major’s first year in the classroom. She started during COVID and she persevered. “Starting to teach during COVID has made me a better and more adaptable teacher,” she said. She had to adapt and make it through the year, she said.

With her being a brand new teacher, reaching her goals is so important. She wants to focus on self-improvement to better connect with her students. “The main goal for this year is to continue forming relationships with my students and improving myself to be the best teacher I can be,” she said.

Ms. Kathleen Burke is another functional academics teacher who co-teaches with Ms. Weaver and Ms. Majors. Ms. Burke is also a co-sponsor with Ms. Weaver with a club called Peer Pals, formerly known as Best Buddies. 

“My biggest motivation to keep moving forward each day are the ladies whom I share teaching responsibilities with. We share ideas, support each other, and just have a lot of fun together doing our job,” Ms. Burke said. She keeps going for her co-workers. She shares a great deal of her life with them; she strives to be the best because of them.

“The students and daily experiences are definitely the best part of my job. I get to be involved in students’ journeys from freshman year through senior year. This is not something all teachers get to experience. This can make it even more difficult to say goodbye, but also more rewarding to see students graduate,” Ms. Burke said. She gets to see her students grow and leave. She gets to prepare them for the real world, and she loves that part of her job. 

All three teachers keep going for their students; they thrive under their students’ success. Many can agree, that is what makes a good teacher. If you have the opportunity to get to know them or their students, as you can tell from their positive comments, it will be a positive experience.

by Dylan Ramirez/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Several exchange students hold flags from their countries at the flag ceremony during the World Language Cook-Off: Joona Hinte, 11, Annika Fischer, 11, Ainara Flores Garcia, 11, Aiala Orio San Vicente, 11, Audrey Marguet, 11, and Lorenzo Pedroni, 11, and Rozalia Golen, 11.

     Greenfield Central is hosting exchange students from all over the world, from Germany, Spain, Russia, and other countries. As most know, many kids from different countries do not celebrate the same holidays as most Americans. Some of the exchange compare holidays here and at home.

Matz Schaefer, grade 1l, is a 15 year old from Germany. He said, “Back home in Germany we celebrate Christmas, Nikolaus (6th of December to celebrate a helpful man) and St. Martin on the 11th of November and Pentecost.” Schaefer said the holidays here aren’t much different when it comes to celebrating them. He and his family and most Germans come together as a family and eat a bunch of food. He said the food is a bit different. “Usually back at home we’ll eat geese and potato soup. It’s different here because we ate turkey, ham, pie, and mashed potatoes for most of the holidays we’ve had so far, like Thanksgiving,” said Schaefer. He said the holidays he’s celebrated makes him feel like a real American because he’s living the same experience and traditions just as  everyone else around him. He loves celebrating Thanksgiving and celebrating with his host family. He concluded, “I’m glad to get to celebrate these holidays with family and friends. I’d suggest to anyone to go to different countries and celebrate their holidays their way.” 

Aiala Orio San Vicente, grade 11, is from Spain. Aiaila stated that she also celebrates New Years (Los Reyes Magos), Easter (Dia de la Hispanidad), Halloween (Dia de todos los santos), and also Christmas. Vicente said celebrating the holidays are the same, just hanging with family and eating. Aialia also said that the more popular foods to eat are meat, salads, croquetas (small cakes of meat or potatoes coated in breadcrumbs  and fried), then cakes and Spanish ham during holidays. “The holidays made me feel really happy, like Thanksgiving. The most significant tradition in Spain is eating twelve grapes during the last seconds before New Years,” says Aialia. The purpose of eating twelve grapes is to lead each month of the next year full of good luck and prosperity. 

Annika Fischer, grade 11, is from Germany. She exclaimed, “I love celebrating the holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving with my host family so far. I’m excited for Christmas.” Fischer talked about the traditions and holidays she celebrates back home. She celebrates Christmas, their thanksgiving, St. Martin,etc. Thanksgiving in Germany is celebrated on the first Sunday in October. It is more of a rural event, with gatherings with food and neighbors. “The main difference between celebrating holidays here and back home is the food and how much family come from different places to come celebrate with you. We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving back home,” says Annika. Annika then explained, “But besides that, the holidays here are as common and simple as the ones back home. I love being around people, it makes me feel comfortable.” Annika ended the interview with wanting to tell everyone to go out of the country at least once and try different holidays from around the world.

by Megan Bundy/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Decorating a Christmas tree is a popular holiday tradition for many. Photo by Megan Bundy

It’s that time of year again where it begins to get colder outside and the holidays are the biggest thing on people’s minds. It’s a time for family and friends to come together and get ready to end the year with joy and look forward to the next one. A special aspect of the holidays is participating in traditions with your family and friends, and G-CHS students were asked about their own holiday traditions that they celebrate.

Not surprisingly, celebrating the holidays with family and friends was a big one shared amongst the students. “The holidays are very fun for me, not just the presents or anything but just being with everyone. We usually go to my grandma’s and eat some sort of dinner, hang out and open presents,” 10th grader Bella Corsaro-Ferge said about her own traditions.

“The holidays are pretty fun for me. I enjoy the break and hanging out with friends and getting into the Christmas spirit,” Alek Plisinski, 10, said. Lynn Bye, 10, also commented, “(I) definitely prefer to hangout with friends during the holidays. With friends, plans are easier and more flexible.” It seems like a reasonable number of students at G-CHS value connection with loved ones during the holiday season. 

When the students were asked what holiday traditions they like to do, there was a plentiful variety. “My favorite holiday tradition would probably be going to Utah to visit my aunt and uncle and celebrate the holidays there with them,” Chloe Davidson, 10, said. Davidson also mentioned that she has an Advent calendar tradition. Jo Cooper, 10, said “My favorite tradition is decorating my tree. I have had it since I was a child.” Bye also added, “Playing dreidel and betting on who will win is my favorite Hanukkah tradition while my favorite Christmas tradition is watching a movie on Christmas Eve while drinking hot chocolate.” Other students have also said that decorating their Christmas tree with family or watching Christmas movies was their preferred holiday tradition. These two traditions are one of the most common ones, so it is no surprise that many students at G-CHS like to participate in them.

As the year begins to draw to a close, the holidays are reminders of what we have to be thankful for during this year. The holidays are generally a time for joy and peace as well as spending time with family and friends. 

by Madi Short/Staff Writer

A vital staff member and teacher of GCHS is William Henderson, or as some students and staff know him, Sarge. Mr. Henderson, before he ever became a teacher, was in the military, and decided after seeing the amount of soldiers who hadn’t been prepared for life out of high school, to become a teacher. “When I was in the Army, I saw so many soldiers come into the Army that were not prepared for life after graduating high school. Many of these young soldiers lacked firm, fair and consistent role models and leadership in their lives. I thought I could assist in helping the youth of our society become more prepared for life after they leave the protection of their parents’ home.”

    Mr. Henderson has many great stories and memories with other staff, including Mr. Will Bolden and Mr. Eric Robertson. When asked what was your best memory of Mr. Henderson, Mr. Robertson replied, “When he interviewed me for a job in my driver’s education office some 10 years ago.”

    Mr. Henderson’s advice to teenagers would be, “The concept of working hard is a fallacy. You should strive to work smarter. Hard working people fail every day because they do not accomplish their goal, mission, or job. Working smarter will allow you to maximize your time and allow you to find a healthy work life balance.” 

    Many people learn from Mr. Henderson, and that includes students and staff. Mr. Bolden described some of the things he learned. “I’ve learned several things from Mr. Henderson. A lot of those things stem from his direction for a new teacher: how to set up Google Classroom, structuring lessons, communication with parents and students, connecting with students, etc.” Mr. Roberson, though he did not get into detail, stated he has learned many things from Mr. Henderson, however many he couldn’t put into writing or discuss.

    Mr. Robertson, when asked what he thought Mr. Henderson’s greatest quality was, he stated, “His care and compassion for all; he truly cares about everyone.” Mr. Bolden shared a similar thinking, as he said, “Connecting with students and communication.” Another similar statement from Mr. Robertson and Mr. Bolden was when asked what their favorite thing about him was, Mr. Robertson replied, “He is so funny. His one-liners are the greatest ever.” Mr. Bolden replied, “His no nonsense approach but it’s paired with a sense of understanding and humor.” 

    Family means a lot to Mr. Henderson. When asked what his inspiration was, Mr. Henderson said, “My wife inspires me. She inspires me to be the best I can be.” The greatest advice he’d ever received was, “to marry my wife. My father gave me that advice and like most advice he gave, he wasn’t wrong.” And when asked about his greatest accomplishment, Mr. Henderson replied, “Being a father to two outstanding young men. I have held a lot of titles in my life, but none as great as Dad.”

    In addition to family, students mean a lot to Mr. Henderson as well. Mr. Henderson has learned a lot from teaching, having said, “First, my students taught me how to be a better parent (I will always be grateful for that). Also, that every student is not the same because they all have different challenges, backgrounds, and support systems. However, all students require the same four things: A positive role model, to be protected from harm, to be treated with respect, and to be loved unconditionally regardless of their faults.”

    A feeling Mr. Henderson will never forget while  teaching would be, “watching a student graduate that many thought wouldn’t and knowing you played a part in that change.”

    From the military to teaching, Mr. Henderson shared his thoughts on the difficulty of switching from one to the other. “Initially it was hard, yes, but not as hard of a transition for many of my peers who become teachers. I was fortunate enough to start my teaching career at the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Childrens Home in Knightstown where I was an Army JROTC instructor. I left the Army on Friday and started teaching on Monday and I still wore a uniform. The structure at the home was much like the military. It was a lot like training soldiers except for they had not been to basic training.”

    On another military note, Mr. Henderson, when asked if he could do anything else, what would you do, he stated, “I believe I am exactly where I am meant to be.  However, if I had to do something else, I would have become a Transitional Assistance Program Counselor for Veterans. I know how difficult it is to transition from the military. I have always had a desire to serve others, and this would allow me to assist our heroes’ transition into the next phase of life.”