This time of year is often complex at DGN. It is the end of the semester which means due dates, finals, and grades to worry about. On the other hand, students and staff are looking forward to the holiday season and the much needed break.

This year, students have an opportunity to relieve some of that stress and get into the spirit of the holidays as the first half of the year winds to a close. For the first time in DGN history,  the student activities department will be hosting an all-school gingerbread house decorating competition. The competition is currently open to any and all participants, with the houses to be displayed in the commons next week on December 13th and 14th. It will be held in place of the pumpkin decorating contest that had been held by DGN in the past.

The pumpkin decorating may return in the future, according to Student Activities director Mark Mirandola. “We didn’t have a chance to do pumpkin decorating this year because of timing with homecoming. So, we’re giving [gingerbread houses] a shot this year to give students and staff a creative outlet.”

Students and staff will be able to vote on their favorite houses while they are on display in the commons.

Some students have already begun the process of decorating their houses. Senior Kendall Cole has teamed up with her friends to join the competition, but more so to have a good time doing it. She is “mainly in it to have fun with [her] friends and get in the Christmas spirit.” Cole loves making gingerbread houses, but is also in it for the competitive aspect, saying that it “was a cool concept to go up against other students to see who could come up with the best one.”

Some students are participating in larger groups to have a good time this holiday season. Sophomore Adi Zaveri is in a group with six other students who are focused on having a good time and also destress from education, saying that “[he does] think it’s going to help us, because we get to bond over a fun holiday activity.” 

Zaveri’s group is less focused on the victory (although it would be nice) and more on enjoying the holiday season together.

Student’s aren’t the only members of DGN’s community getting involved. English teacher John Waite is also joining the competition. Mr. Waite loves baking, but is not as experienced when it comes to decorating food, and called the event “very stressful for [him],” and even added that he “does not have faith in [his] abilities.”

 Despite this lack of faith, Mr. Waite is still in it to win it, saying that “if you’re going to compete, you should try to win,” and while he has had difficulties with making gingerbread houses in the past, he “[has] a few tricks up [his] sleeve,” and is hopeful that he can pull of a victory.

For any students or staff looking for inspiration or motivation for the competition, there is already one submission to the competition on display. Executive Administrative Assistant Veronica Rentfrow and the main office staff have already constructed a gingerbread house, currently on display in the window of the student activities office. 

Rentfrow is excited to see what the competition will bring, calling it “just what DGN needed for holiday spirit.” She does not consider herself a “baker,” but loves decorating houses, and enjoyed the “conversations, laughs, and good company,” that came with working on a gingerbread house.

While she did enjoy the process and does not claim to be an expert, Rentfrow is also excited for the competitive aspect of the event, encouraging competitors with “game on, let’s see what you can do!”

DGN’s inaugural gingerbread house decorating competition is expected to bring fun, creativity, and competition to the school. Students and staff members alike will have an opportunity to express their creativity and compete with each other to see which groups and individuals can do the best job of baking and decorating.