December is here! Though there may not be a lot of snow on the ground yet, MSS is beginning to look festive. With the hallways decorated, Christmas break feels like it is just around the corner. MSS students are getting out of school for their two-week holiday on Friday, December 22–just over two weeks away. In the meantime, there are lots of things to keep them busy. Along with their academics, there are school clubs, community events, and the upcoming 12 Days of Christmas at MSS.
In the spirit of giving, SHARE/Go Green collected $500 to support victims of the Gaza crisis. From their Give Change to Make Change initiative, which involved students collecting change from homeroom classes, to the funds raised from the silent auction at the AOK Christmas Craft Fair, students were able to make this sizable donation. SHARE/Go Green’s next initiative is designed to raise awareness about world hunger. The 24-Hour-Famine is a challenge for students that allows them to stand in solidarity with those experiencing hunger. On Friday, December 8 students who signed up for the 24-Hour-Famine will begin to fast at 9 am. There will be a sleepover held at the school for these students filled with activities and educational presentations. At 9 am on Saturday, December 9 the students will have breakfast together with a greater respect for the millions of people living in food scarcity and insecurity.
The MSS robotics team has been very busy these past few weeks. One project Manitoulin Metal has taken on includes volunteering at monthly Community Tech Training events at the Mindemoya Public Library. Here, the robotics team helps people of all ages navigate their phones, tablets, computers, laptops and more. This ensures that everybody can keep in touch with their loved ones remotely. The robotics team is also volunteering at a FIRST Tech Challenge event hosted at Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School. A member of the robotics team, Nevaeh Harper, is emceeing the event, getting the opportunity to speak in front of hundreds of people about robotics.
Apart from their busy volunteering schedules, the robotics team takes time to have some fun. On Wednesday, November 29 members of the team got together for an evening of board games, video games, pizza and karaoke. This was a great time for Manitoulin Metal to bond before their upcoming competition season, starting on January 6.
Soup Day has taken MSS by storm. A long-time tradition at MSS has ballooned into a highly-anticipated get together. Initially started by Mr. Balfe, Soup Day was a way to bring students across all demographics together to share a pot of soup. The initiative has recently gained attention from other groups in the school who are offering their help. Several parodies of popular songs have been written and sung during morning announcements as promotion for Soup Day, attracting even more students. Some of the parodies include: ‘Sweet Potato Soup’ (based on ‘Sweet Caroline’), ‘Hey Soup’ (based on ‘Hey Jude’) and ‘Soup’ (based on ‘Shoop’).
That is all for this week! Until next time, go, Mustangs, go!