Dec. 8 found the Christmas activities of the area begin with the Minnehaha annual Christmas Concert. This year marked the 100th concert held in the former Minnehaha School that is now known as Minnehaha Co-op Hall. After a short program of recitations and music, the children welcomed Santa Claus with Here Comes Santa Claus. Each child received a gift from Santa's pack. A lunch followed with the children comparing what they received from Santa.
Dec. 14 was the evening for the monthly Edam Handi-Van bingo. This month the prizes were hams and a Christmas hamper for the blackout game. The chidlren's draw prizes were donated by Bonnie and Kevin Letwinetz, with the winners being Clayton Wolfe and Kylee Bec. Winning the hams were Ruth Bec, Bonnie Letwinetz, Marion Ottas (2), Annabel Elliott, Hugette MacGregor (2), Wanda Weber, Brenda Pollard and Hazel Mosimann with Jeanne Pollard winning the hamper. Caller, Marilyn Mannix invited all to attend the January bingo Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the seniors' centre.
Dec. 19, Legion members, Charlie McCaffrey and Judy Carignan were at the school to present the awards to the winners of the annual Remembrance Day poster, essay and poem contest. This year the following students were successful and will have their entries move on to the next level of competition. Posters: Grade 1, 2 and 3, first - Ziyal Sommerfeld, second - Zoey Pollard; posters Grade 4, 5 and 6, first - Candace Greening, second - Shyloh Vecmanis; black and white posters - Grade 4, 5 and 6: first - Trayton Poole, second - Ocean Nash. Essay - Grade 4, 5 and 6: first - Tristen Wagner, second - Blaize Courtenay; poem, Grade 4, 5 and 6; first - Brooke Bonson, second - Blaize Courtenay; posters Grade 7, 8 and 9, first - Tyson Long, second - Tayla Poole; black and white poster Grade 7, 8 and 9, first - Natasha Nedelec, second - Kesha Schaefer; essay Grade 7, 8 and 9, first - Zachary Gordon, second - Macey Levasseur; poem Grade 7, 8 and 9, first - Zachary Gordon, second - Macey Levasseur; colour poster Grade 10, 11 and 12, first - Emma Head, second - Brittany Bec; black and white posters, Grade 10, 11 and 12, first - Shyla Hamel, second - Morgan Meriam; essay Grade 10, 11 and 12, first - Shanae Blaquiere, second - Kennedy Schaefer; poem Grade 10, 11 and 12, first - Kelcey McCarthy, second - Shyla Hamel. Thank you to the judges, Tommy Terpstra, Shirley Godbout and Judy Carignan.
Thanks to all who donated for the community food bank. The competition was a great success, with a grand total of 902 pounds raised! The Grade 12 classroom wins this year for raising the "heaviest" amount, with a total of 150 pounds. Thanks to Kennedy Schaefer and her Grade 10 minions who co-ordinated the collections, weighed in the offerings, and managed the storage (thanks Mr. Gateley). Thanks also to the packing/delivery crew of Jonathon Seipp, Bailey Morin, Tayla Poole and Trevor Gateley. Most of all, thanks to all the staff and students and parents who gave so generously to help support the cause. Below is an outline of the grades and the number of pounds of food raised. Even though we congratulate the Grade 12s for "winning" the competition, we are all winners when we help out our fellow citizens. An update will be published at a later date when we hear how much was raised in comparison with the other schools in our division. Grade 12- 150 lbs, Grade. 10 - 136.5 lbs., Grade - 133 lbs., Grade 5/4- 96 lbs., Grade. 9- 89 lbs., Grade 3- 80 lbs., Grade 6- 63 lbs., Kindergarten and Grade 7- 43 lbs. each, Grade. 11- 42.5 lbs., Grade. 8- 26 lbs.
Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association sent the school a letter this week. This is a quote from the letter. "The Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association has awarded the SHSAA/MILK Sportsmanship Award to H. Hardcastle school and your 2A girls' volleyball team. The team wins this award, but it usually suggests the efforts of the entire school. The staff and students at your school should all share in this award.
"This award is presented to the team best representing the ideals of sportsmanship at the provincial championship. A committee of SHSAA representatives, the host committee and the game officials observe the players, coaches, team personnel and spectators throughout the championship. These committees from the provincial championship recommended teams for this honour and your school was selected as the most sportsmanlike team."
We are proud of our school and our students. We expect and promote sportsmanship, manners and respect at HHS, and winning this award proves that our efforts have paid off.
2012-2013 school yearbooks are now on sale. There will be a link added to the H. Hardcastle website where you can buy a yearbook. Books are $25.00, with options available for personalization, at an additional cost. Posters and more information will be around the school shortly.
This year the yearbook is being published through Jostens, one of the best in the business. Sample yearbooks from other schools who have published through Jostens will be available for viewing and there will be a short slideshow featuring photos and details about the yearbook on display at the Christmas concert. It will be a hardcover, full colour book featuring all grades in the school.
If you have photos from this school year that you would like to submit to the yearbook, please email them to tanith.wallebeck@nwsd.ca. This can be in school and outside school. Included will be a few pages on interest outside of school this year, so if you have any photos of a huge jackfish you caught, or photos from gymnastics, skating or curling send them in. The committee is collecting photos and drawings to submit in the arts section of the yearbook. Scans of work are preferred, but originals will work as well. If there are any questions, contact Tanith Wallebeck: tanith.wallebeck@nwsd.
The annual HHS elementary Christmas concert was held the evening of Dec. 19 in the school gym. The kindergarten class began the program with a recitation on trimming the Christmas tree and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. This was followed by the Grade 1 class with the bells and performing Deck the Halls. The Grade 4 and 5 students then gave their rendition of I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas followed by the Grade 2 bell ringers and Silent Night. Grade 6 presented the Huron Christmas Carol. A dance number performed by Taya Cole, Payton Morin and Jesse Cadrain impressed the audience. This year the Grade 3 class performed a crossword puzzle that involved a discussion on how many reindeer there were and what their names were. It was finally decided that 10 fit into the slot and that they included the usual names as well as Leroy the redneck reindeer. The final item on the program was a black light performance to Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord by the group Boney M. Santa Claus arrived to present candy canes to the students and preschoolers. An evening of excellent entertainment and a job well done by the masters of ceremonies, Hunter Goodall and Trinity Froese, students and staff.
From our house to yours and from our community to yours, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
