Decking the Halls

Students and Staff Compete in Door-Decorating Contest

Reagan Schulz

Staff and Students Decorate Classroom Doors for Winter

     Staff celebrated the winter holidays by decorating their doors and competing for the best design. Inspired by holiday songs and movies, teachers used their inspiration to brighten up the hallways for the holidays. 

     One teacher utilized the song “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” to create a Christmas tree displaying many forms of The Rock, Dwayne Johnson. 

     “I found it on TikTok,” ELA teacher McKay Lannigan said. “It’s a Christmas tree. Dwayne Johnson is poking out his head everywhere.”

      It also said, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”

     Similarly, science teacher Michelle Lawrence chose the song “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.” HOSA, the healthcare worker club, was in charge of the decorating.  

     Lawrence’s door displayed the scene where the supposed “crime” was committed and was accompanied by a police lineup of the suspected reindeer, and she included an interactive factor. 

     “You have to actually use the numbered clues to solve it,” Lawrence said. “Then you can scan the QR code and vote for which one you think it is.” 

     Science teacher Kendall Benner’s class designed her door after the movie, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” based on the comic by Charles Schulz. Benner helped make and hang most of the decorations. 

     “I found pictures online, and then the students executed it,” Benner said. “I found multiple pictures of Charlie Brown, but the students drew everything, painted everything and hung everything.” 

     Broadcasting teacher Janet Sobbe’s class created a movie theater theme. 

     “I feel like it was a cool idea,” senior Ruky Ogolor said. “It’s pretty nice to be festive and in the season.” 

     Ruky and other students decorated the wall. Having won the past couple years, Sobbe addressed the competition this year.

      “It’s all in good fun, but I do like a healthy crafting competition,” Sobbe said. “At heart, that is what this is, it’s fun. I like when people say they are going to beat me. That means they are trying really hard, and that makes it more fun.” 

     Although not inspired by a song or movie, other teachers who took part in the competition have decorated their doors after their professions and global events. Soccer coach Lauren Hasenohr decorated her door reflecting the World Cup. The door displayed the teams still in the tournament and was updated with changes. 

     “I’ve played soccer my whole life, and the World Cup is really cool for me to watch,” Hasenohr said. “My husband also played soccer his whole life, so it’s a big deal in the family.” 

     School nurse Aricca Mehalic’s door was made with medical gloves.

      “We decorated the year before, but this year we thought to incorporate medicine on the door,” Mehalic said. 

     The competition was judged by the school counselors.