Christmas is in the air here at Shepaug Valley High School as the weeks before the holiday break quickly approaches. Students and faculty are all doing their part to bring in the holiday cheer as we all are still navigating Covid-19. This year, Shepaug seniors are participating in a Ugly Sweater Contest between senior project classes to show off their holiday spirit.

Senior project teacher Mr. Stinson thought that planning this contest would bring up the spirits of this year’s seniors, “I hoped it would bring them together because it is fun. Covid has taken away so many fun activities and I was hoping that a little dress up and friendly competition would be fun”. He has done something like this a few years ago but it only took place in his class. “I did something like this a few years ago but it wasn’t a whole class event, it was just in my senior project class. Then, I thought it would be fun to do it again”. This contest will take place on December 23rd, the last day before break. Each of the senior project classes will wear their ugliest christmas sweaters and pose for a photo. When asking Stins how they will determine a winner, he said “Mrs. Eddy, Mr. Werkhoven, Mrs. Wright, and Senora Hynes, are all past senior project teachers, and each class will take a selfie and they will decide the winner”. Whoever the winning class is will receive a journal wars victory. This is important to so many seniors because a victory like this could determine the date and time of their final presentations.

Many senior students plan on participating, including senior Abbey Harty. She plans on making her very own homemade ugly sweater, “I feel making a homemade ugly sweater will get me more into the holiday spirit this year and really lighten my mood through this uncertain time”. When asked why she would be participating Abbey said, “The main reason is for the holiday spirit but I also would like to defeat Stins and I plan on motivating my other classmates to participate to win”. Another senior, Eilish Crossley, also plans on making her own ugly sweater for the competition, told us, “I plan on going to the store to get materials to make my old sweater the ugliest it can be”. Eilish also feels that this is the perfect way to get into the holiday season,“I feel that participating in something like this right before the break will get me in the holiday mood i’ve been looking forward to”.

So much has been taken from these seniors that this is the highlight of their holiday season. Everyone loves a little competition and this is the perfect way to bring in the holiday season. May the best class win!