Pioneer Press

Holiday Issue Pioneer Press

Volume 2, Issue 2 December 18, 2019

Holiday Giving

By: Anthony Estevez and Ray Johnson

Have you ever thought about giving to kids that don't have much for the

holidays? Sevastopol has many programs that do just that. For example,

Shop ‘N’ Chop with a Cop is an organization where kids from all over Door

County shop for gifts to give to their family. Kids get to spend $150 on

presents for their family and friends. They also have a pizza party after

wrapping presents. To top this off, they get to chop down a tree for Shop ‘N’
Christmas. This all starts at the Sturgeon Bay Police Department at 7 am Chop with a
on December 7th. Thirty kids get nominated from different schools around
Cop 2019

Door County. Another example of how Sevastopol gives back is the food

drive. This is a great way to feel good about what you’re doing. You donate

food for families in need, right here in our community. These items can be

brought to your classrooms, where the fourth-graders grab them and count

the items. This year the Food Drive started on November 25. It ends on

December 13. There are over 200 food banks in America, that are feeding

more than 46 million people, and we are helping that. In fact, this year Elementary
Sevastopol Elementary collected 751 items of food to donate to 16 local Food Drive

families. Another thing Sevastopol is doing is the first graders are writing a letter to military service men and

women to make them feel good for the holidays, since they’re away from family. So, make your heart feel good

and donate. You will make others’ hearts feel good too.

Holiday Concert: Need to Know
By: Abby Burke

So many people have been asking our teachers, and Mrs. Souther,

about when our Elementary Holiday Concert is? Well, it is on

December 19; we have a Senior Citizens Concert at 12:00 pm, where

we perform for the community, followed by a lunch. The

4K-1st-graders are also performing at 2:00 on Thursday. After

school, at 6:00 pm, we get ready to perform again. First, the

5th-grade band will start the show off with their first performance,

and then everyone will start singing. Everyone will sing “Holiday

Mrs. Souther and 2-5 Grade practicing for the concert. Lights” with flashlights, 2nd grade will play instruments to “Sui
Lullaby,” 3rd is singing “Riga A Jij,” and all the kids will sing

“Give us Hope” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” This year we are doing scenes from the “Nutcracker.” Some kids will be

singing, while others are narrating, dancing, or acting. We will have a stage crew, including 4th-grade students.

Our stage crew will help with props, handing things to people in the “Nutcracker” between scenes, and they will

stay at lunches to help set up for the concert. Give a thank you to Mrs. Souther and Mrs. Hasenjager when you 1

see them in the halls for putting together our Holiday Concert.

Elementary Community Service Projects

This year, Sevastopol Elementary students have been hard at work giving back to our
community. Every grade level has volunteered to help give back to something in our

community. Here is what we have been working on in November and December!

4K: Community Helpers K: Animals

The 4-Kers colored thank you cards for our firefighter The kindergarteners worked on making bird feeders
and police officer friends. We brought them their for the birds during the winter months, when there
cards and went on a tour of the fire/police station for a isn’t as much available food for them. The kids (and
field trip. We saw the fire trucks, police cars, and teachers) will be placing the feeders in the forest
rescue vehicles they use. They showed us the different behind our school!
tools they use and talked about the different kinds of
rescues they go on. We also saw the different offices
and resting spaces they use when they are not out
helping people.

4th Grade: Less Fortunate 2

The fourth grade took the lead on our Sevastopol
Elementary Food Drive! The fourth-graders made
posters promoting the Food Drive and presented to all
the elementary classrooms about how the food drive
works. Throughout the month of December, the
fourth-grade students collected food donations from
each classroom, counted and sorted, and tallied food
donations. They also packed all the donations into
boxes to be delivered to local families. All together,
the elementary students donated 751 items to the food
drive, which will be given to 16 families in our
community for the holiday season!

Elementary Community Service Projects

2nd Grade: Eco-Lab 3rd Grade: Senior Citizens

The second grade is continuing their work on The third grade is continuing their outreach with the
preparing the Sevastopol Eco-Lab to be the best it elderly in our community. In November, the kids
can be so our students and community members can created turkeys which showcased pictures of the kids
utilize it. The second graders filled three large tubs full as well as fun information about them to share with
of boots for their Boot Drive! They are also in the the residents at Anna’s Healthcare. In December, the
beginning stages of planning out their informational students read, colored, and sang Christmas songs to
brochure about the property. The class is also hoping the residents of Anna’s Healthcare. They were even
to organize a winter hike open to the entire able to encourage a 101 year old resident to play
community. Christmas songs on the piano.

5th Grade: Environment

The fifth grade has been focusing on helping our
environment. For November, Lyvia wrote donation
letters to local businesses asking for reusable shopping
bags fop all 5th-grade families. Walmart was gracious
enough to donate all 61 bags to our class! Our
December goal is to start using our reusable bags
EVERY time we go shopping, as well as for other
uses, to help reduce our plastic waste.

3

Holiday Traditions

Holiday Traditions Around Winter Break Books

the World By: Shaeffer Rass and Sydney Peterson

By: Brynn Schartner, Abi Rock, and Evan Isaksen You should read over winter break, there are twelve days
without school! If you are not sure what books to read,
Have you ever wondered what other people do around you should read these series and books because it could be
the world for Christmas? There are many interesting harder for you to read when you come back to school.

traditions that people do around the world to Book Recommendations
celebrate. Here are some wacky and fun things that
Grade Book/ Series Genre Summary
people do around the world for Christmas. Level

Sweden 4k “The Hungry Fiction A caterpillar that
keeps eating, until he
Swedish traditions include eating festive rice pudding, Hungry Caterpillar” turns into a . . .
meatballs, and potatoes. St. Lucia’s Day is also a
Swedish Christmas tradition. St. Lucia’s K “Chicka Chicka Fiction Letters that are
Day includes having the oldest girl of the Boom Boom” trying to climb a
house dressed in a white gown with a red coconut tree while
belt. She has a crown made of evergreens rhyming.
with candles lodged through the top, she
has a tray that holds Lucia buns and 1st “Dino” Series Fiction In these books,
coffee. A Swedish tradition is to hide a dinosaurs face off in
peeled almond in a dessert, and whoever sports from baseball
finds the almond will supposedly be married within a to wrestling and every
year. sport in between!

Hawaii 2nd “Fly Guy” and “Fly Fiction and A boy and a fly meet

People in Hawaii celebrate Christmas by eating a large Guy Presents” series information and they go on weird
meal. One of the events that people do for Christmas is al adventures together,
they going swimming and surfing at the beach. There are
often musical groups singing, playing the ukulele, and while learning.
dancing the hula to entertain the people on the beach.
The original Santa sleigh is replaced by dolphins pulling 3rd “Diary of a Wimpy Fiction The book is about a
a canoe.
Kid” series Humorous boy named Greg
Mexico
Fiction Heffley and his
The weather is hot in Mexico during the Christmas
season. Citizens decorate their homes with lilies and attempts to become
evergreen fronds. Family members cut designs in brown
paper bags, and they make lanterns called farolitos. Out popular in middle
of the bags they put a candle inside and then set them
along sidewalks, on windowsills, rooftops, and outdoor school.
walls to get the community filled with Christmas spirit.
4th “Dog Man” series Dog Man is about a
dog/human cop. It is a
Adventure quick and fun book to
Fiction read. Most of the
books will leave you
laughing.

There are many different traditions around the world for 5th “I Survived” series Realistic “I Survived” is about
different families and communities. These are some great Fiction
Historical historical events that
traditions that people do around the world. Do you do Fiction
any of these things for Christmas? actually happened to

people. For example,

the Joplin Tornado or

the Titanic. 4

What DAonYdouMDoroeOTvreardtithieonHso! lidays?

Holiday Treats Elf on the Shelf

By: Kendall Christiansen and MacKenzie Delfosse By: Lydia Schultz and Olivia Valenzuela

The holidays are coming up. Trees are being Do you have an Elf on the Shelf?
decorated and joy is being spread. People all around Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas
are getting into the Christmas spirit! Though tradition for some families. Every
Christmas couldn’t be anything without family, morning, starting November 25 to
friends, and of course, presents, is there something December 1 through December 24,
missing? Holiday treats of course! Holiday treats are the elf hides in a different spot.
great to snack on, at the celebration of Christmas and They watch you throughout the
Hanukkah. There are countless numbers of holiday day and return to the North Pole
treats, including family recipes, passed on for at night to tell Santa how you were that day, just
generations, or just recipes you find online. before they fly back to hide for the next day. On
According to the K-5 teachers, there are some Christmas Eve you might want to say goodbye
similarities in what they prefer over the holidays. because that is the last time you will see him or her
Mrs. Tanck and Mr. Skiba can’t get enough yummy until the next year. But beware, if you touch your elf,
peanut butter balls, while Mrs. Neuman and Mrs. they will lose their magic and can't fly back to Santa!
Ayer love hot chocolate. Mrs. Asher and Mrs. They can be sweet and leave you a treat, or be sour
Grooters are wishing for frosted sugar cookies under and do something funny or sneaky. Elf on the shelves
their trees this year. What seems to be the teachers’ are well-known traditions and they have been around
“hottest hit” is anything with peanut butter. As I for a long time. There is even a book that was written
mentioned before, there’s a great variety of treats. about them. When you first get the elf, they come
For some, it’s savory sweets, but for others, it's tangy with their book so you can learn more about them.
treats that make them beg for more. Mrs. Schroeder You can even name them whatever you want! Some
prefers pomegranates. In the words of the rich, juicy funny things elf on the shelves do are taking a bath in
pomegranate lover herself she says, “Every year my marshmallows or a snow angel made out of sprinkles.
family cuts it in half, scoops out the seeds and eats Some sweet things they might do is write you lots of
pomegranate seeds with a spoon.” After hearing letters or even leaving you some treats for your sweet
about the variety of scrumptious holiday items, do tooth. So, make sure you are behaving this holiday
you match any of the teachers’ favorite holiday season so that the Elf on the Shelf has only good news
treats? to report back to the North Pole!

5

What Do You Do Over the Holidays?

Most Popular Toy

By: Aleah Volkmann and Savanna Kiehnau

Have you ever said or heard, “ I want it, I want it!”
You always have a toy you must have. There is always
a new, exciting toy of the year that is most popular.
Well, this year it’s a hoverboard, for boys and girls!
We took a survey of all the elementary students, and
31% of the boys and 33% of the girls voted for a
hoverboard! Even though a hoverboard is the most
wanted toy in Sevastopol Elementary, a Nintendo
Switch is one of the most wanted toys nationwide!
Even if we don’t get what we want, we know what the
true meaning of Christmas is.

Must See Holiday Movies Holiday Music
By: Trey Albertson and Alaina LeClair
By: Taylor Kochanski and Savanna Kiehnau
Holiday movies are so popular because they get
families into the holiday spirit. The first holiday Joy. Excitement. Have you ever felt those things
Christmas movie ever made was in 1898, the “Santa when you are listening to a winter song on the radio?
Claus.” The most popular holiday movie today, Wintertime is about spending time with loved ones,
nation-wide, is “Home Alone,” with “Elf” in second, and remembering what the true meaning of the
and the third most popular movie is “Love Actually.” holidays are. Holiday music usually brings out the
Just like nation-wide, “Home Alone” is the most winter cheer before it even starts snowing! There are a
popular holiday movie in Sevastopol Elementary, lot of different ways to celebrate the holidays, but one
followed by “Polar Express,” and “Rudolph” tied for of them is listening to music. The real thing to do with
second. “Frozen” takes the number three place. Now, holiday music is just to enjoy it because somebody put
if you don’t watch these amazing holiday movies, it it out there for you to listen to over the winter season.
looks like your on the naughty list. Ho Ho Ho. As Elf says, “The best way to spread holiday cheer is
singing loud for all to hear.”

6

Did You Know?

Crazy Christmas Facts Holiday Mishaps
By: Charlotte Stueber By: Hannah Bley

When most people think of Christmas it means
happy, thrilling, cheerful, and busy. But every and
now and then, something happens that causes us to
shout, “Oh no!” Here are some of these fun holiday
fails that happened in our elementary school...

Everybody thinks they know about Christmas, Aleah, from 5th grade, was taking
but do you really? Let’s put you to the test. What ornaments out of a box and the
was the first artificial Christmas tree made of? top of one of the ornaments came
Want to hear more? Sit down, get cozy, and get off and the foam balls from an
ready for some crazy Christmas facts! ornament spilled into the box
holding all of the other ornaments,
● “Jingle Bells” was written for making a HUGE mess! Be careful
Thanksgiving, not Christmas. the next time you open a box of
ornaments.
● The first artificial Christmas Tree wasn’t
a tree at all. It was created out of goose Mrs. Ayer, a 5th-grade teacher,
feathers that were dyed green. was wrapping presents and she
forgot who one of the presents was
● Each year, more than 3 billion Christmas for, because she never labeled it,
cards are sent in the U.S. alone. and the wrong person opened it!
So don’t ever forget to label the
● All of the gifts in the “Twelve Days of presents.
Christmas” would equal 364 gifts.
Abby, from 5th grade, said on
● In Germany, Poland, and Ukraine, December 22, 2018, her 7-foot
finding a spider, or a spider’s web, on a Christmas tree fell over right next
Christmas tree is believed to be a harbinger to her as she was sitting on the
(a person or thing that announces or couch! Plus, expensive glass
signals the approach of another.) of good ornaments broke everywhere. So
luck. next time you put up your tree
make sure the tree is stable.
● Rudolph was almost named Rollo or
Reginald. Reginald the Red-Nosed 7
Reindeer doesn't quite have the same ring to
it.

● In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas (the Dutch
version of Santa Claus) arrives from
Spain, not from the North Pole.

Next time you need to impress someone, pull out
these crazy Christmas facts!

Which do You Prefer?

Gifts Cards VS Toys?

By: Aiden Baier

Time for the rumble of the holiday
season! Gift cards VS. toys! As you
know, there has been a controversy for
years about which was a better holiday
gift. A HUGE amount of people love
toys, others like gift cards, because then
their relatives will not need to stress
about what to get them and they can choose what they want. This year we decided to put a rest to the big
question by asking the 255 kids in Sevastopol elementary school what they prefer. Toys are a holiday classic
and can be used in an extensive manner of ways. A disadvantage is that once you get them, you can’t give
them back. Some reasons kids would like gift cards is that they can get whatever THEY want, and it’s like
getting to spend money. One restriction is that you may only spend it at certain stores. It was a close fight in
all rounds, but there was a clear winner and that was…TOYS at 58% of all elementary students! The dispute
has been put to rest… for now.

Real VS Fake Trees?

By: Kylie Rose Beilfuss

Deciding on a tree is a big decision! Most Here are some thoughts on real and fake trees from 8
families have to pick a real tree or a fake tree students in school:
for Christmas. Here are some pros of having a * Trey thinks a real tree is better than a fake tree because you can
real tree; it has a great scent and they smell poke yourself and it smells better.
like a real Christmas. Also, you only have to * Parker thinks a fake tree is better than a real tree so he can keep
cut it down from the woods or buy it from a it in his house forever.
lot. However, there are some cons to real trees. * Zack thinks a real tree is better than a fake tree because they
You have to water it a lot and make sure to produce oxygen, and the real tree you can hang ornaments on, but a
not add sugar, soft drinks, or aspirin to the fake tree has lights already.
water. * Melchor thinks a real tree is better than a fake tree because you
Most people agree that fake trees are just easier can put the ornaments on better!
to deal with and you don’t have to spend time * Vincent thinks a real tree is better than a fake tree because you
untangling and stringing lights. You don’t don’t have to put the pieces together!
have to water them every day, and you don’t * Drew thinks a real tree is better than a fake tree because a fake
have to spend time cleaning up dropped tree is a waste of money and you have to find the parts for the tree
needles as you do with a real tree. Also, over and cutting a real tree is more fun!
time, fake trees collect dust, which can be
highly flammable.
With so many pros and cons for fake and real
trees, it is a hard decision!

Winter Fun in Door County

Brrr. . . Bundle Up!
By: Shylee Asher and Elli Wotachek
Can you predict what our weather is going to be like this winter? The weather ranges from 8°F to 31°F in the
month of December on average, in Wisconsin. It is predicted to bring cold weather and lots of snow. According
to the Farmers Almanac, it says this winter is going to be wet, cold, snowy, and windy. The Farmer’s Almanac
is a periodical that predicts what the weather will be in the future. The Farmers Almanac uses patterns in
nature to predict the weather in the future. The Farmers Almanac was started in 1792 by Robert B. Thomas

and by the first president, George Washington.
They thought the weather was created by
magnetic storms on the sun. Did you know that
the snowstorms this year already have names!?
They get named by local meteorologists who have
studied them. They are also named in alphabetical
order according to how many snow storms we get
in a year. The snowstorm names for this year
are… Ariana, Brody, Charlotte, Dean, Eleanor,
Franklin, Gladis, Harrison, Isabell, and
last but not least, Jackson. There have to be five or more inches of snow to be named. We asked different
grades, ranging from 2nd through 5th, about how much snow they think we are going to get, and most of
them think that there will be over two feet of snow this year!

What Can We Do At Recess?
By: Izzy Andreae and Taylor Kochanski

Have you ever been bored at recess? Well, there are a lot of things going on around the playground that you
might not even know about! For instance, there are sleds by the back of the gym, and there are a lot of people
on the field, building forts. During the winter, many students would like to have an ice skating rink. We
interviewed Mr. Hilts and he said, “We are likely going to stay away from an ice skating rink, because we
don’t have any plans for a rink, and we don't know if we will have enough room, because of the new school.”
Mr. Hilts also said no for snow dyes, because he does not know how much it will cost or if it stains. Now that
you know all of this, do you think there is enough recess equipment?

9

How to. . . Make a Christmas Cookie
By: Paxton Linnan

At our house every year we do a Christmas tradition, my family and I always make Christmas cookies with
this same recipe and it always tastes excellent. My mom makes the batter and bakes the cookies, and me, my
sister, and my brother cut out the shapes and frost them. If you and your family don't eat them all, you can
put some out for Santa, and carrots for all the reindeer! I want you and your family to make a new tradition of

making Christmas cookies at Christmas!

Ingredients: Directions:

❏ ¾ cup flour 1. Mix baking powder, flour, and salt together and set the mixture
❏ 1 tsp baking powder aside. In a large bowl, cream together margarine and sugar until
❏ ½ tsp salt light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
❏ 1 cup margarine, soft Gradually blend in the dry ingredients until fully absorbed. Cover
❏ 1 ½ cups sugar dough, and chill for 2 hours.
❏ 2 eggs
❏ 2 tsp vanilla 2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
On a clean floured surface, roll out small portions of chilled dough to
Tools: 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters.

❏ Spatula 3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are barely
❏ Cookie sheets brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. If you want
❏ Parchment paper to put on frosting, mix powdered sugar and milk, and mix until it is
❏ Oven mitts thick and dye it any color with food coloring. Pour the mixture on
❏ Cookie cutters the baked cookie.
❏ Cooling racks

How to. . . Make a Saran Wrap Gift Ball
By: Jaxon Rankin

What are you looking forward to over winter break? Maybe you enjoy sleeping in, or going and visiting
family, or maybe you just enjoy doing nothing at all. I am looking forward to going to Florida with my
family on vacation. After talking with students and teachers, I discovered that there are many different
ways to celebrate the holidays, but one fun activity that I enjoy, and what most 4th-graders voted for, is
the “Saran Wrap Ball” game.
Mrs. Nueman’s class said they enjoy the “Saran Wrap Ball” game because it’s a surprise all wrapped up
for you to unwrap. This “game” is where some prizes are wrapped up in saran wrap over and over until
you form a ball of saran wrap filled with LOTS of candy and treats.
Would you like to try this?

First, you put a gift in the middle.
Then, you start covering the outside with saran wrap.
Next, repeat, but with smaller gifts or treats
Finally, enjoy and unwrap with friends.

Even if you're not traveling like me, what are you excited 10
about for winter break?

Holiday “How-Tos”

How to. . . Wrap a Gift
By: Luke Filar

Do you want to wrap that perfect gift for Mom and Dad, or even your best friend? Look no further! These easy
to follow direction will walk you through how to perfectly wrap your gift.

Tools: Directions:

❏ Tape #1. First, to wrap a present you need to unroll some of the wrapping paper.
❏ Scissors Put the present in the middle of the wrapping paper that you just unrolled.
❏ Wrapping paper Then, grab the roll of wrapping paper and bring it over the present. Make
❏ Gift sure that when you bring the rollover that it is touching the other side of
❏ Ribbon the wrapping paper. Once it's touching the other end cut the paper right up
❏ A bag against the roll of wrapping paper.

❏ A bow #2. Next, flip the present, and wrapping paper covering it, over. Don't let
the wrapping paper fall off the present when you are flipping it over. Pull
the paper tight, but don’t rip it. Put a piece of tape on the ends of the paper
touching each other while it’s tight, to hold the ends together. Make sure
that the paper is still tight after you put the tape on. Then put more tape on
wherever the paper is coming off the other end of the wrapping paper when
you are not touching it or where you can see through, to the present.

#3. Now on the two ends that are not wrapped and is open still, grab one of
the upper corners and bring it down to the center of the side up against the
present. Hold on to the corner while you do the same thing to the other
corner. Now the corners should be up against each other like an
upside-down triangle. Hold the corners together while you put a piece of
tape holding the corners together. Then fold the corners up against the side
of the present and tape them there. Then do step three again but to the
other side.

#4. Look on the other side of the bow and pull off the paper under the
sticky part. Turn the wrapped present over and stamp the bow right in the
middle of the present.

#5. If you want you can write on it who it’s from and who it’s to.

#6. Give the present to someone.

11

What’s it All About?

Has Christmas Holiday Trash
Lost Its Meaning?
By: Lyvia Duessler and Luna Ramirez
By: Aiden Baier and Kendall Christiansen
You wake up one morning and remember… it’s Have you ever wondered how much trash gets thrown
Christmas! You run to your tree and start tearing away during the holidays? Americans throw away
through the presents that Santa delivered overnight, 25% more trash compared to the rest of the year over
but is that what it’s really about? Some people the holidays. During the holidays 38,000 miles of
believe that nobody really knows what Christmas is ribbon gets thrown away, or enough to wrap around
about anymore! Others think everything is fine, and the world once, with a little extra ribbon for a bow.
there is nothing to worry about as long as they get Four million pounds of wrapping paper is thrown
presents! This is not good. Could our children be away each week
getting more greedy? Christmas isn’t just about during the holidays.
presents, that’s only a fraction of the true Christmas There is also a
meaning! Christmas is about spending time with tremendous amount
your family and friends. Some you may see every of Christmas trees
day, others during the holidays. Why do presents thrown away each
matter anyway? The real gift is spending time with year, eight million!
your family! If you feel like you've lost the meaning Also, 2.6 billion
of Christmas, here are some tips to get you back in holiday cards are
the spirit. Get off the electronics! Watch a Christmas thrown away, which
movie with your family that has done so much for is equivalent to
you! You may get a new device, but don't spend all thirty-three million
day on it. Some people are less fortunate than you, trees. Holy cow!
so try donating some old toys you don’t use Between
anymore. It’ll make their year! As the Grinch said, Thanksgiving and
and I quote, “Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a New Year’s, three times as much food is wasted than
store. Maybe Christmas ...perhaps… means a little at other times of the year! To make it even worse,
bit more!” three million pounds of turkey meat is wasted each
year. So this year we should try to reduce that amount
by eating leftovers and of course recycling.

Thank you to all of our hard-working 4th- and 12
5th-grade writers, editors, and photographers for
putting in the time to create this special holiday
issue!
Also, a special thanks to all of the elementary
staff for hosting our writers to complete surveys,
conduct interviews, and take pictures.