THANKSGIVING GRATITUDE

 WHAT IS THE ORACLE GRATEFUL FOR?

By Oracle Staff

With Thanksgiving Day just around the corner, it can easily be overwhelming preparing for the holiday, especially for those who are hosting! However, it is important to take a step back and remember why we are doing this in the first place: to reflect on what we are grateful for and to enjoy spending time with our close ones! In honor of this day of gratitude, a few Oracle members have shared what they are thankful for and their Thanksgiving traditions. 

Noelle is most grateful for her friends, family, cats, and her house. Each Thanksgiving, she stays home with her parents, brother, and grandmother were together, they eat lots of delicious food and spend time together. 

Hayley is thankful for her family and friends. She also appreciates how great her senior year has been so far, and she will be sad to leave everyone when the year is done. Each Thanksgiving she goes to her aunt’s house with her family where they have a huge dinner! Her favorites include chicken cutlets and mac and cheese. 

Olivia is thankful for her family, friends, and dogs. 

Mia is thankful for her best friends, her cat, and her job. Her favorite Thanksgiving tradition is making a trifle for her family. 

Emma is thankful for her friends and family and how amazing her senior year has been so far. Every year she goes to her aunt’s house to see all of her extended family. She loves eating butternut squash that her grandmother makes. 

Kavya is thankful for her mom, brother, friends, the future, and all of the opportunities and love in her life. 

Ms DeLuccia is grateful for her family, friends, her community,

Happy Thanksgiving from the Oracle!

Image by Sabrina_Ripke_Fotografie at pixabay.com 

SKI SWAP

 SPARTA SKI TEAM HOLDS ANNUAL SKI SWAP

By Kelly Groome

The Sparta Highschool Ski team held their 20th annual Ski Swap fundraiser on November 13th. The event was held at the Mohawk Avenue School from 8:30 am-1 pm. 

The swap featured a selection of new and used skis, ice skates, snowboards, ski boots, poles, snowboard boots, and more. The event was the perfect opportunity for the community to purchase more affordable ski equipment or to sell used gear. 

Customers had the option of selling their used equipment that they didn't use anymore or had outgrown. Contrary to the name, buyers didn’t have to actually “swap” any items to purchase products, and were allowed access to all gear. Admission was free for anyone arriving after 9:30 am and for early entry access, customers arrived at 8:30 am for a fee of $10 per family. 

The team is holding their first practice on December 1st and attending their ski weekend in Killington Vermont on December 12th!

Thanksgiving Around the World

 THANKSGIVING AROUND THE WORLD

By Hayley Lane 

When leaves are almost done falling, the morning air gets crisp and cold, and the last of everyone’s Halloween candy is eaten up, that can only mean one thing: Thanksgiving is coming! Thanksgiving may be treated as a less-significant holiday compared to Christmas, however, when it rolls around, the world is thankful to be around each other practicing different traditions and indulging in some tasty food! 

Today we will be taking you around the world to discover Thanksgiving traditions from five different countries!

The United States:

This one is probably the one you’re most familiar with! Most American families gather around the TV in the morning to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Foods like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are commonly served. It is also typical to go around the table and have each family member share something they are thankful for, and don’t forget Black Friday Shopping the following day! 

Germany:

Germany’s equivalent of Thanksgiving is called Erntedankfest, translating to “harvest festival of thanks.” It is a religious holiday that takes place on the first Sunday of October, where people get together to celebrate the good fortune their congregation received that year. Celebrants carry an Erntekrone, or a “harvest crown”, made of grains and flowers and eat chicken and roosters. 

Japan:

Japan’s version of Thanksgiving, Kinro Kasha no Hi, or “Labor Thanksgiving Day,” evolved from an ancient rice festival. It began in 1948 after the end of WWII to celebrate the rights of Japanese workers. It’s considered a national holiday, but none of the typical feasting takes place. Instead, citizens celebrate hard workers of the community, and children typically write cards to firefighters or policemen. 

Puerto Rico:

After Puerto Rico became a territory of the U.S., it adopted many of the typical American traditions such as Black Friday Shopping. However, Puerto Rico put their own twist on their feast. Their turkey is stuffed with mofongo, a plantain dish. Aside from turkey, they also serve pork, rice, and beans. 

Liberia:

Due to the spread of Christianity in Africa during the 1820s, Liberia celebrates Thanksgiving as a religious holiday. Churches auction baskets of local fruit after their services. Families feast on roast chicken and mashed cassavas. Live music and dance is also a large part of their thanksgiving tradition. 

Pruitt, Sarah. “8 Thanksgiving Celebrations around the World.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 22 Nov. 2016, https://www.history.com/news/8-thanksgiving-celebrations-around-the-world. 

SHS HONORS VETERANS

 Veterans Day Ceremony at Sparta High

By Kylie O’Neil 

Veterans day is about honoring everything our military personnel have done for our country. It is important to appreciate veterans and current members of the military, and thank them for their service. 

On Thursday, November 11th, Sparta High School held its own Veterans Day ceremony! Students had the chance to hear veteran’s stories of service from our school and the community. It was a great experience learning about the military and the veterans who attended. 

It was also wonderful to hear the band and choir perform during the ceremony. Additionally, Charlotte Rogoff, a senior at Sparta High School, spoke about her father’s service and her future plans to join the military at this event. This event served as a reminder that it is never too late to thank our nation's veterans! 

Image from picjumbo.com 

SHS FALL DRAMA OPENS THIS FRIDAY!

 Come See Middletown, the SHS Fall Drama 2021!

By Kavya Kamath

Are you looking for philosophical yet funny insight in the very nature of life? Maybe characters you pity yet root for, whose internal monologues and musings may reflect your own? If so, Middletown, the Sparta High’s 2021 Fall Drama is for you. Premiering on November 19th at 7pm, Middletown straddles the line between thought-provoking and laugh-inducing, exploring the universe of a small American town (and the universe at large) via a motley bunch of characters consciously and subconsciously looking for the meaning behind their humble existences. As they pursue this heavy task, the audience will watch their lives intersect in strange and poignant ways, reminding us how much we truly mean to each other.

The show will run thrice: first on Friday, November 19th, at 7pm, next on Saturday, November 20th, at 7pm, and finally on Sunday, November 21st, at 2pm. All showings will be at the SHS Auditorium, with doors opening half an hour before each show starts, and tickets available at the door ($12 for general admission, $10 for students or senior citizens).

The Drama Club has been working on this show for about a month and a half now, and despite the short timeline, inside sources say the production has come together beautifully.

Put together an evening with friends and come support the show! Drama Club can’t wait to see you.

Link to Flyer

SEASON OF GIVING

 SEASON OF GIVING- BLANKET FUNDRAISER INFO

By Olivia Flanz 

With Halloween over, the holiday seasons are around the corner. During this time it’s important to give back to the community so if you are interested donation opportunities are available already around the school.

A great example is that the Key Club is running a blanket drive for Wish Upon a Child! Wish Upon a Child is an organization that collects holiday gifts and then distributes them to children in the foster care system. We are already more than halfway to our goal of 40 blankets with 21 blankets so far! If you wish to donate brand new fleece or thicker blankets, they can be dropped off in room 415. This donation opportunity will be available until Thanksgiving break. 

Welcome Mr. Bushey!

 WELCOME TO SPARTA MR. BUSHEY!

By Noelle Hanek

Mr. Bushey is a new teacher here at Sparta. Learn more about him in the brief interview below!

Q: What subject(s) do you teach here at Sparta? 

A: “ I teach physical education and health.”

Q: Have you ever taught anywhere else before? 

A: “Yes, I started my teaching career at Sussex County Technical School for one year before getting a job at Sparta.”

Q: How are you liking the environment at Sparta so far? 

A: “I love the environment of Sparta. I grew up in Sparta and was a Sparta High School graduate. It has always been a dream of mine to come back and teach here, so I am very fortunate to have this opportunity.”

Q: What is your favorite part about being a teacher? 

A: “I think the best thing about being a teacher is meeting all different kinds of students. You learn a lot about different people’s views, hobbies, and other interests, and no two kids are exactly the same.”

Q: Is there anything else you would like the Spartan Community to know about you?

A: “I coach freshman football and varsity lacrosse, and Mrs. Chiappini is my inspiration.”

Thank you Mr. Bushey for your time and responses. It was great learning more about you, and we look forward to having you at our school! 

College and Career Fair

 COLLEGE & CAREER FAIR VISITS SPARTA

By Kylie O’Neil 

This past Wednesday, October 27th, Sparta High School held a college fair from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. There were over 75 college representatives present at tables throughout the gym and cafeteria. Some specific colleges included Penn State, University of Delaware, Monmouth University, Virginia Tech and Princeton University.  

Students had the opportunity to ask the representatives about their schools, allowing them to learn more about each one. Most colleges also provided packets and magazines to the students that held specific information about their school. They contained information such as SAT/ACT requirements, average class size, student-teacher ratios, majors and minors, and more. Certain colleges additionally provided upcoming tours dates for students to have the opportunity to experience the campus first hand. 

Most of the representatives were helpful in answering questions and providing information to help students make decisions, and plan for the future. Overall, the college fair was a fun and informative experience!

Image from: https://hs.brrsd.org/about/news-events/news-detail/~board/hs-school-counseling/post/coming-soon-brhs-on-campus-college-fair 

TROT IT OUT

 

TURKEY TROT 2021

Who is ready to TROT!!!

This year’s Krogh’s Turkey Trot will be held both in person and virtually on Thanksgiving morning, November 25. The Sparta Education Foundation sponsored this event for the past 15 years. What a great way to celebrate community and gratitude! Let’s run, walk, or trot to raise money for the grants that support our schools!

Register here to participate-

https://kroghsturkeytrot.com/race-info/

If you are interested in volunteering before or on race day-

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScp5InFmfWY6U2goOWDL-w9fLtaDi3YTMNMYBzOKOmx1e-QNw/viewform?usp=pp_url