The culinary classes created a set of ornaments for a competition. Every student chose a theme for their set and baked cookie ornaments to display. 

     “The ornament competition this year is in lieu of the gingerbread house competition we normally do,” culinary teacher Mrs. French said. “Students had to come up with a collection of six ornaments that have a theme and go together to display. They had a week to put the whole thing together which means making the cookies, stencils, and the icing or fondant to decorate.”

     Every set of ornaments made by the classes were put up for display in the lobby alongside a sheet with a QR code for the student body to vote. Students selected their favorite set of ornaments and voted for them there.

 “With the ornaments, it’s been more about the journey than the destination,” junior Norah Taylor said. “It’s been a fun process to see everyone’s cookies come together after seeing all the work put into it. The different themes make it interesting to see who wins the competition.”      

Classes worked individually, with each student choosing their own personal theme for their ornaments. They then had to plan it out, make the dough,  the icing, and finally bake and decorate.  

         “Doing ornaments in place of gingerbread houses seems more fun to me simply because it’s easier and it still has the holiday feel with it,” senior Lincoln Southard said. “I didn’t realize it was a competition until we put them out, but now that I know it’s a lot more interesting. I don’t think I’m going to win but I’m excited to see who does.”

     The competition encourages students to test their baking and decorative skills on ornaments rather than a gingerbread house this year. While students worked separately, they had to cooperate in the kitchen. 

     “Even if I don’t win I had a lot of fun,” junior Gracie Davis said. “I got to work with my friends and make out cookies together. The friendly competition is nice to have while working on something like this.”