by Kevin Bryan
Thanksgiving is a holiday that most people enjoy celebrating at home with family and friends. The first foods we often think of are a sumptuous oven-roasted turkey and the most beautifully seasoned mashed potatoes. Some may even think of nicely seasoned brussel sprouts or exquisitely sweet and tangy cranberry sauce. School usually provides a week off from classes for Thanksgiving so their students can have a break from rigorous academics and can take some time to recuperate before finals. But the Thanksgiving holiday is not just celebrated at home; the school environment also has traditions to celebrate the giving season.
At my school specifically, we take the Thanksgiving season to reflect over all the things that we have, and remember that there are many who do not have the fortunate lives that we do. To that end, every Thanksgiving season, our high school has one or more service projects that help those in need. For example, every year we prepare pre-packaged food for homeless, containing rice and vegetables. These meals cost 25 cents per package, so the school asks the students to donate as much as they choose to the cause. Last year we raised over 6000 dollars, which amounts to over 24,000 meals for the homeless in the Bay Area.
Not only do we focus on the giving aspect of Thanksgiving, we also show our spirit in a more fun way. Every year before the Thanksgiving break, the cafeteria will have a themed lunch week, where there will be thanksgiving-type foods served as the entrees. The students really enjoy this week’s lunch, because they can enjoy a wonderfully prepared Thanksgiving meal even before they eat it at home. Not only is our food themed, but the halls are adorned with bright colors of red, yellow, and orange to accentuate the autumn feelings.
Thanksgiving is a great holiday to celebrate at home, but the Thanksgiving spirit also pervades throughout schools all over America.
