Winter has brought its snowy mark creating new excitement and anticipation to Nelson and L.V. Rogers’ students especially. Some have been anxiously waiting to grab their skis or snowboard and hit the Whitewater ski hill, while others were just eager to finish their last week and feel the relief and satisfaction of stepping into the winter break.
A lot of courses, especially the Grade 12 ones, had issued tests during the final week before break to summarize the current unit, and solidify any information that could be forgotten during the hurry of the holiday season.
The LVR staff, the rec leadership team, and the grad council have been busy organizing events of all kinds that relate to the icy season outdoors.
Inside the hallways, the thrill of the holiday created the same hurried panic to hand in all homework as the frantic rush to complete Christmas shopping. The holiday haste was quite evident inside the school, and the communal excitement during the final week before break brought lingering anticipation to the students.
The annual Silver Slipper dance competition had been hosted in the gym all throughout the last week, with judges from each grade watching carefully to see who’s got the style and the rhythm. Some of the dances included were the cha-cha-cha, the foxtrot, and the hustle, which were instructed by some brave and rhythmic students. Smaller awards were distributed ranging from different categories such as most enthusiastic to best personal style, but the two main trophies, a Silver Sneaker and a Silver High Heel Shoe, were given to this year’s winners Conner Defeo and Mikaya Austin.
The winners were announced during the 2011 Christmas talent show, which offered the students and staff a look at the many courageous and talented members of LVR. The acts were mostly musically based, with impressive singing solos, as well as duets, drumming, and guitar shredding. Mixed with astonishing hula-hooping and the occasional tossed juggling ball, it was an amusing passage into the holiday break.
The first dance of the school year was put on by an enthusiastic team of rec leadership students, with intentions of raising money for the 2012 grad class. Sporting the Winter Wonderland theme, they dressed the gymnasium with an array of festive decorations that matched the holiday atmosphere. DJ Express started the evening off, and LV’s own Liam McGovern flexed his DJing skills which was amplified by the encouraging cheers of his friends. Altogether it was a night enjoyed by everyone, and the grad class is that much closer to the necessary funds for the celebrations in June.
With the recently ended break, the students are now lazily shaking off the pampering of holiday chocolate, endless sleeping time, and daily trips to the ski hill, and replacing them with the less popular alarm clocks, text books, and hourly trips to the drinking fountain.
Despite the slow return, the routine will soon pick up; the wheels will start rolling again, this time towards the upcoming exams and the not so distant start of the second semester.
Happy new year to everyone!
Cam Olson is a Grade 12 LVR student