It’s hard to miss the elaborate door decorations around the school this week. The counseling department is hosting a contest between staff members on who can create the most creative and extravagant door decorations.

     “I’m not even sure what the prize is; I just like to win,” said broadcasting teacher Jan Sobbe.

     While Sobbe looks for her unofficial second title, she has competition. Math teacher George Adair’s igloo design has gained attention, and he said it didn’t take long to decorate.

     “It really only took me about three hours,” Adair said.

      There are detailed designs around the building, but social studies teacher Kendall Benner’s elaborate gingerbread house might be the design to beat. And although Adair said his door was quick to make, it isn’t always quick to decide what to do.

     “It takes a solid week to come up with inspiration,” senior Emma Thom said.

     While some teachers are in it to win it, this isn’t quite a school tradition. It started last school year. During the Covid lockdown, teachers and staff were looking for a way to lift the spirits of people at school, so counseling decided to have a contest just for fun, and it seems to have stuck.

     “I just hope everyone is having fun with it,” counselor James McNeely said.

     Voting on the best design will be held by the counselors and other staff on Wednesday, Dec. 15.

UPDATE: WINNERS ANNOUNCED

McNeely announced Dec. 16 that there was a tie for first place: math teacher George Adair and broadcasting teacher Janet Sobbe. The second place winner was science teacher Michelle Lawrence.

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Blake Weiand

Social Studies teacher Kendall Benner