Out of all possible winter break activities, it is not hard to assume which one is most anticipated by the student body- sleeping. It’s understandable, of course, since after long, dragging weeks of classes and tests, nearly two weeks of snoring under warm blankets would sound tempting to anybody. But besides packing away the alarm clock for the duration of the break, there were a variety of other activities that people were looking forward to. I interviewed students before school closed for vacation and learned of the diverse plans they had for winter break.

Some, like sophomore Kayla Maslow, were headed to spend the holidays in tropical destinations. When I asked what she was looking most forward to, she responded with “going to Florida.” I’m sure these are the most enviable kind of plans, for nothing says school vacation like dipping your toes into the hot sand. Instead of building snowmen and having snowball fights, surely Kayla, along with others, would be making sandcastles and tanning on the beach.

A good fraction of the student body was excited to partake in winter sports and snow-related activities during their days off from school. “I’m going skiing and riding my horse in the snow!” said sophomore Colleen Dowd. For junior Emily Bartone, winter vacation meant going snowboarding. These and many other students looked forward to spending two weeks on the slopes, some even in competition with ski teams- whether it be on Hanover High’s own or on a club team. Max Shelly, a freshman, was one of those club skiers who anticipated coasting down the snow peaks for his team at Cranmore Mountain in New Hampshire.

Other school sports besides skiing also excited HHS’ athletes, like junior Chase Coogan who said that he was “looking forward to hockey over the break.” The HHS fan base would surely agree, for even on the coldest days, a high school hockey game can easily draw a generous crowd.

But most HHS students were simply excited to have a stress-free vacation where they could hang out with friends and do away with thoughts of algebra or biology. I think sophomore Mike Cratty put it best when he decided  “not going to school” was the best part of vacation. Whether it be by sleeping, vacationing, skiing, snowboarding, spectating, or spending time with friends and family, this year’s winter break promised endless opportunities for the students of HHS. I hope I can speak for all students when I say that winter break truly fulfilled its potential.

One of the many clubs at Hanover High is the Math Team. Math Team is back after years of inactivity due to budget cuts. In fact, this year Math Team participation is at a record high with about 10 students on a consistent basis.  They meet every Tuesday night from 6pm-8pm in Doc’s Room (Physics Lab 219). Dr. Defranzo (Doc) is the math team coach (and Physics teacher) and Mr. Plummer (the STEM Director) frequently helps out at practices as well. Math Team participates in meets on the first Thursday of the month. At these meets, Hanover competes against the 7 other schools in our division. So far, Hanover has participated in meets at Rockland High School and Bridgewater Raynham Regional High School. In these meets, HHS came in 6th at Rockland and leapfrogged to 2nd at Bridgewater Raynham.

Competitive math is not the only part of Math Team. In fact, each school can only send 10 people to compete at the meets. The rest of the club simply participates because they either want to get better at math or simply hang out with friends. Many members immediately notice how Math Team compliments their math classes. In other cases, members notice the applications of math that, due to lack of time, cannot always be taught in math class. As an added incentive, Doc orders pizza and soda for anyone who comes to the practices.

If you want to join, just come to one of the Tuesday Night meetings or talk to Doc who is always available in Room 219.

By Cate Marchetti

Brightly wrapped gifts and packages with gold ribbons are a common sight around the holidays, but what about when the tag is signed only with the the mysterious name “Secret Santa”? Many a Hanover High School teacher experienced this thrill of mystery as the school’s student council once again organized a student-teacher Secret Santa program for the days leading up to winter break. Office holders, elected representatives, and honorary representatives alike had the opportunity to sign up at the student council meeting in early December as a Secret Santa for their favorite teacher. Having agreed to be a “Santa,” students purchased small gifts of less than five dollars to surprise teachers with on the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before break.

“I think the student council Secret Santa is a great way to show appreciation to all of the teachers who dedicate themselves to giving us an education,” said Andrea Bilton, sophomore class president. “The best feeling in the world is knowing that that you put a smile on a teacher’s face by the end of the week.”

And smile they did, as many happy faces could be spotted throughout the halls of HHS when students revealed their identity by presenting their final gift in person. “Secret Santa is a great way for students to get to know teachers, and spread holiday cheer throughout HHS,” said Sarah Ryan, Treasurer for the class of 2016. The program allowed students and teachers to connect on another level. Student council members had the opportunity to give back to the teachers who make school more enjoyable, and teachers looked out as they taught and wondered which face in the crowd was leaving them surprises in their mailbox.

Callie MacDonald, an honorary representative, also enjoyed being a Secret Santa.  “I found it to be a great experience where I could form a closer bond with my teacher,” she said. “Also, it was a good opportunity to celebrate Christmas in the school.”

With the help of this popular tradition, many student council members and teachers alike discovered that not only are the holidays a time of fun and celebration, but also serve to bring people closer together and show how much you value each other.