By Olivia Shipp ‘26, Sadie Avery ‘26, and Lia Tapia ‘26
Every year at CVHS, there are multiple Christmas activities that take place during December to get students in the spirit of Christmas. During this festive month, the Student Council, SADD, and PoWER clubs work hard to host these events.
Paula Valverde (12), a member of Student Council, said, “I feel like this week will get everyone excited to come to school and show off their Christmas spirit.”
Student Council typically organizes dress down days, a “Puffles the Elf” contest, and a holiday pep rally to get students involved and excited about the upcoming break and activities.
Advisor Mr. Jesse Shenk explained the preparation that goes into the annual holiday pep rally: “We usually come up with a list of as many games as we can think of, and then we can narrow them down to what we think would be the most fun, or new games, because we don’t like doing the same ones all the time.”
During the pep rally, there are friendly games that involve the students, which can become very competitive. The games are kept a secret until the day of the pep rally. The prep rally is emceed by senior Colson Erb and Mr. Shenk, who explain the rules and decide whether something is unfair. During these games, students from Student Council choose who participates in the games, usually picking for their graduating class.
Another key event, “Drink of the Season,” is hosted by SADD and PoWER. When students have their scheduled lunch, there is an announcement that they are welcome to walk down to the Uyeda gym. Once there, they can grab some homemade cookies, hot chocolate, and other snacks made by other students.
The gym is decorated with Christmas decorations, like inflatable props and Christmas lights, with tables around the sides showcasing different cultural traditions surrounding the holiday season.
“We’re sharing different holidays that people celebrate other than Christmas,” said PoWER member Shainna Le (12), “so the school gets to learn more about other cultures.”
The decor also includes a gingerbread house competition, where there are multiple handmade gingerbread houses displayed on a table. Students are free to go up and look at them and choose their favorite.
All these events play a significant role in creating a cheerful environment in CVHS. These simple holiday games and activities may seem small to outsiders, but they are part of what makes us Buckskins.