By Matthew Libersky

As the year nears its end and the holiday season comes into full swing, Alpha Delta Rho, Spanish Club and Heart Club and are planning special activities.

Alpha Delta Rho, led by Mr. Kyle Coffman, recently wrapped up its holiday fundraiser where students purchased feathers for teachers whom they appreciate — the teacher with the most feathers at the end got to donate half of the total money raise to the charity of their choice.
The feathers cost 25 cents a piece and lower when purchased in bulk. Mr. Ryan Rust was this year’s receiver of the largest amount of feathers. He donated half of the total money raised to Studio Ten Ministries, a missionary group that attempts to combat sex trafficking of young women in southeast Asia.
As with previous years, the club will also be cooperating with Student Council to set up a children’s book donation bin in the office where students and staff can donate unused books to children in need.
However, the club will not be holding a competition between SRT’s to donate the most books this year as it has in the past. “Most students who have participated in previous years have already given away their children’s books,” Mr. Coffman said.
The club will also have an unorthodox gift exchange among its members: a “Machiavellian Christmas” were participants “steal” the gifts they desire most.
Spanish Club is also planning special activities for its members during the holiday season. This year, their main activities include a trip to Valparaiso to eat “tapas” (a variety of appetizers) at Don Quijote’s restaurant and shop at the Westfield Mall in Merrillville on December 11, as well as Christmas caroling in Plymouth with French Club on December 15.
Along with these activities, Spanish teacher Mrs. Delia Gadziola and a few of her students will be translating for Shop with a Cop participants. “It’s important for them to take what they learn in the classroom and put it into ‘real world’ practice,” Mrs. Gadziola said.
On a slightly lesser note, HEART club, currently led by a couple of seniors in Mrs. Jyll McNeil’s absence, decorated a Christmas tree at Miller’s Merry Manor.