By: Carol

The Pleasanton Eagle football team played the Floresville Tigers, on October 28th with home field advantage. The Eagles took the win at this home conference game by a score of 35-14. The following Friday, November 4th The Eagles played and won their last home game against the Beeville Trojans in overtime by a score of 34-28. Entering the first round of play-offs, the Eagles were ready to dominate. Held in Corpus Christi, the Eagles played the Tuloso-Midway Warriors. Within the first 2 quarters the Eagles were leading with a 14-0 score showing no mercy as they continued on. By the third quarter the Eagles had put 28 more points on board which was quickly followed with a single 6 point touchdown made by Tuloso-Midway. In the last few minutes of the game our competitors decided to come and play adding an additional 14 points to the board by the end of the fourth quarter. Despite Tuloso’s hard fought efforts, the Eagles came out with a score of 42-20 advancing them to round 2 of play-offs against the Boerne Greyhounds. For the next week the Eagles prepped for the fight of their lives. On November 18th the Eagles traveled to Alamo Heights Stadium ready for the 7 pm kickoff. First quarter the Greyhounds came out fast with a 1 yard touchdown within the first few minutes of the first quarter. However, Eagles pushed back with a 7yd touchdown only minutes later only to be scored on once again by the Greyhounds ending the quarter with a 7-14 score. Within the second quarter Pleasanton put up another 7 points followed by another touchdown from the Greyhounds. With a 5 yard pass in the third quarter by the greyhounds quaterback they were leading 40-14 and finished the third quarter with a 43-14 lead. By the fourth quarter the eagles were feeling it but were no where close to giving up, they weren’t going down without a fight. Fourth quarter, Boerne had 1st down, with 11 minutes to go, and the ball on Pleasanton’s 12-yard line. The Greyhounds completed a 12 yard pass for a touchdown and PAT bringing the score to 50-14. Pleasanton had a 1st down with 6 minutes to go, and the ball was on Boerne’s 41-yard line. The Eagles completed a mighty 36-yard pass for a touchdown and a good PAT adding another 7 points to the board. With four minutes remaining the Eagles were giving it their all. Despite our team’s efforts, Bernoe came out with a 50-21 score advancing them to the next round and putting our season to an end.

There is no denying that our team was something special, these guys came out every Friday and fought hard in the name of our school. More than anything though this was a family, these were brothers, and the truth of the matter it was some of their last times on field. I had the opportunity to ask one of our seniors, number 78, Joe-Manuel Ortiz about his experiences as a senior on the team and what he wishes for them moving forward. This year the Eagles had a tough schedule but they played as hard as they could and Ortiz can say he was happy with the season the team had. Partly through the season, Ortiz was out of injury and he told us “ I got past my injury by working with our amazing training staff, they helped me get better and back out on the field.” There is no doubt that the ending of every year is difficult and even more so for seniors who will be moving on to the next chapters of their lives, Ortiz saying, “The hardest part of leaving this team is the memories we had together and all the time we spent together as a family.”  

Football teaches many lessons to players, and our amazing head football coach, Coach Liska can say he has seen this firsthand. Coach Liska saw the potential in his players and pushed them to be the best they could be this season despite the hecticness that came with it. “I knew we could be really good, and I knew we had the opportunity to meet all the goals we had set, our team had the opportunity to make district and play-offs,” Coach Liska. Moving into next year the team plans to improve upon discipline and team comradery. For seniors leaving Coach Liska hopes the lessons learned in football will become things they can implement in life as they grow into careers and become future fathers and husbands. For returning players it’s the work that they put in now that will determine the season next year and the coaching staff is eager to see these boys make the best out of every year in football. When asked what would be the hardest part of this season ending Liska told us “Finialty, you see the seniors walk out the door for the last time, that’s always difficult, taking up equipment is never fun, and seeing a kid walk out the door that you’re not gonna get to work with anymore and hope that the life lessons you’ve shared carry on.” 

Good luck to those graduating; your impact left a mark on this program, and we all wish you the best in life.

By: Libby Sanchez

It is no secret that the volleyball team this year dominated their whole season, then continued to dominate in playoffs all the way to round 4. After finishing first in district with a 12-0 record, the Lady Eagles were ready to play their hearts out in whatever came their way in playoffs. Round one took place on October 31st, leading many people to skip the holiday of Halloween to watch the girls succeed and advance. For round one of playoffs they were up against Orange Grove, who placed fourth in their district with a 7-5 record. Our girls started off strong in the first set, taking the win 25-14. Working hard the second set, they took it 25-19. With one more set to advance to round two, our girls were determined and took the final third set 25-17. It was astonishing to see the girls do what they do best and take this team in only three sets, their hardwork was paying off. Round two took place on November 4th against Bishop, who placed third in their district with a 7-4 record. The first set started off rocky for the Lady Eagles when they fell short to Bishop 25-19 in the first set. But our girls refused to back down without a fight, and used losing the first set as a wake up call. They came back and won the next three sets 25-13, 25-19, and 25-12. They had the gym packed with green and spirit as they celebrated their advancement to round three. The next round took place on November 8th against Calhoun, who placed 1st in their district, much like us, with a 11-1 record. Our girls were buzzing with the anticipation of only being three games away from state. Much like the previous round, our girls deterred in the first set and fell short 25-22. These girls worked so hard all season, and they had the gym loaded with their biggest supporters, and they were not losing. The next sets came fast, with many good saves and kills from our girls. Our girls claimed the next three sets with scores of 25-21, 25-17, and 25-22. And if Coach Aguirre happened to get a red card between the chaos, well nobody is gonna speak of that, we defend our favorite grumpy grandpa. The sight of The Lady Eagles falling to the floor in sheer excitement for winning is a sight nobody will forget. There is no team that deserved it more! The next three days here at PHS, everyone was buzzing and on their toes thinking about round four. Our girls were only two games away from state, and many believed that’s the direction they were headed. Round four took place against Bellville, who placed first in their district, with a record of 12-0, exactly like ours. We knew if anything, this was going to be the girls toughest match yet. Blossom Athletic Center was packed to the brim with Pleasanton fans, many students getting signed out earlier in the school day to go support their classmates. Nerves were clear, but so was our spirit as the crowds cheered for our girls. Falling short in the first set 25-22 wasn’t something we wanted, but hopes were still high as we knew our girls were common to make excellent comebacks. We were right, as our girls came back the second set 25-17, setting us to tie at 1-1. The third set took us by surprise when Bellville stepped up their game and took the third set 25-12. Now down 2-1 in round four of playoffs, two games away from state, the pressure on our girls was high. In the fourth and final set, after our girls gave it their absolute best, we fell short 26-24 to Bellville. 

It’s hard to watch it all come to an end in just a few minutes, but the 2022-2023 Lady Eagles Volleyball team is definitely one to be remembered. They advanced farther than they had in a long time, and many students and parents are going to miss watching this group of girls play together as seniors graduate. Though, for two of our graduating seniors, they will be advancing and continuing to play the sport of volleyball at a D1 level. Huge congratulations to Sadie McAda who is committed to Southern Mississippi University for both Volleyball and Beach Volleyball, and Victoria Urbanzyk who is committed to Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. Another difficult goodbye for the volleyball program this year is none other than Coach Aguirre himself. The man known to be yelling on the sidelines, but all out of the goodness of his heart as he coached the sport he loved. He’s taught these girls so much throughout his years, and we are sad to see our favorite grumpy grandpa leave. Though his absence will leave a hit on the program, we are excited to see the program’s future in the hands of Coach Bunch. Someone who was trained under Coach Aguirre, and someone with such a big heart for the sport. There are no doubts she will continue to lead this program in the right direction, and we wish her absolute success. We wish all coaches and players the best of luck next year, and to the graduating seniors of The Lady Eagles Volleyball team, we wish y’all the greatest with your future endeavors!

By: Ariana Johnson

Last year the band didn’t make it to Area, so they made a resolution to make it to Area this year and they did. Saturday, October 29th, at Calallen High School, the Pleasanton Mighty Eagle Band tried their hardest at Area and they placed 21st out of 36th bands.

As to represent the senior class in band for all of the hard work they put in the last four years, they all gave their sashes to an educator that had impacted their lives. Many of the educators were surprised by this, but also really happy that they were the ones chosen out of the many educators that each senior had in their lives.

Mr. Solis wanted to do something different when deciding which students should be put in which band. The band directors gave all the kids what they were going to play for them and then tested each student separately. When asked why they decided to change how things worked, he said, “We felt that the audition process was a fairer way of deciding who was in each group. It also allows for students to challenge if they feel that they are not in the correct band placement.”

On November 12th, The Pleasanton Jazz Band and Drumline perform at the Fall Festival in the Pleasanton High School Courtyard. All of the students that went and played at the Fall Festival looked like they had a lot of fun there. Mr. Solis stated, “The Jazz Band and Drumline were very excited to be a part of the festival and look forward to performing at the event again next year.”

December is a very busy month for many students in band. On December 3rd, The Mighty Eagle Band played at the Merry on Main Parade and they played “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, “O Come All Ye Faithful”, and “Jingle Bells”. They also got the 1st place plaque for the Best Marching Band. On that same day many band kids went to Lytle High School  to try to get into the All Region Band and All Region Jazz Band. Mr. Solis stated from all of the band directors, “We are looking forward to having a great representation from our band program. We will have over 40 students auditioning and we hope to have a large number of students earn spots in the All Region band.”

On December 5th, the Symphonic band and Wind Ensemble had their Christmas concert at the Performing Arts Center. The Symphonic band played, “Wintertide”, “Christmas Canon”, “Holly and the Ivy”, and “Holiday Swing Along”. After the Symphonic band played, Miss. Yarnell came out and said, “Since PHS added a new band director. I had the time to do a percussion class with nine members in it, and we worked on Drumline music and worked on an assemble for the Fall/Winter concert. We will also be having one in the Spring concert.” After Miss Yarnell talked the percussion ensemble played “Deck the Halls”, and “Christmas Holiday” which was a mixture of many different Christmas songs. Once the Wind Assemble was ready they started their part of the concert with “The Ukrainian Bell Carol” then went to “Joy to the World”, “Silent Night”, and “All I Want for Christmas is You”. The Symphonic band returned to perform with the Wind Assemble. They played and surprised the audience by singing, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

After the winter concert is done the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble Band will be learning their UIL music. The band directors have music in mind for each band to play. Mr. Solis said, “ We plan to challenge both groups with exciting and more difficult selections for this year’s UIL contest. By then the band directors will know what music each band should play. By what Mr. Solis stated, “Each year we have a number of musical selections in mind for the groups, but it always depends on the strengths and weaknesses for each group. We should be able to see where each group is in the weeks leading up to the Christmas concert.” 

The band has made many memories this year that they will remember, even after high school. They also enjoyed their time together with their band directors when the students do funny things, or get side-tracked with another conversation then the one that they were on about. The band has had a great year whether it was in marching or it was on stage, each and every student had made new friends, and became one big family in the end.

 

By: Noah Ramos, Alex Richter, and Libby Sanchez

For this issue of the Quill, we had the pleasure of interviewing Mrs. Leal, our very own algebra teacher and track coach here at PHS. Mrs. Leal is an alumni of our school, and not only that, but she is a track legend. Her name currently holds 1st place records in 100m and 300m hurdles, heptathlon, high jump, and she is ranked in many more events from her high school days. She is very much looked up to by the track team and is definitely the most qualified for the position. 

After she graduated from Pleasanton High School in 2015, Mrs. Leal went on to run track at the D1 level with the University of Houston. There, she learned the balance between her education and athletic career, and became the very best student-athlete she could be before graduating in 2020. Before joining us here at PHS, Mrs. Leal worked at an office job, but felt she wasn’t making the impact she wanted to. When a position here opened up, she jumped every hurdle in her way to get it (pun intended). High school was a great time for Mrs. Leal, and her drive and determination led her to want to help future students strive for their best. This is her 2nd year with us, and she has already made a huge impact on our student-athletes. “She’s the greatest, she’s always in a great mood and it truly reflects on us, she pushes us to do our absolute best in everything that we do,” said Emree Adamitz, junior. 

PHS is very lucky to have someone like Mrs. Leal here on campus. An athlete and teacher like herself inspires many students to do better, to be better. We hope Mrs. Leal sticks with our school for many more years to come, she truly is making a difference here. Make sure and return Mrs. Leal’s welcoming smile whether it’s in the hallway or at the track!

By: Savannah Valdez and Aaliyah Herrera

For this month’s student spotlight we chose Emily Morales. Emily is a sophomore here at PHS who is involved in many activities. She is a very kind and generous person. Which is why we were very excited to interview her for this month’s issue!

We interviewed Emily and asked her some questions. One of the questions we asked was what school events Emily participated in. She had replied “I am in softball and I also participate in UIL, I do the math portion.” We then asked her more about softball regarding what positions she plays and how long she’s been playing. She replied saying “I play first base, and I really started getting into it because of my sister, but I started playing my freshman year.” 

Emily mentioned that she was in UIL this year and that she participates in the math portion. She seems to take pride in this subject, so we then asked her what is a school subject she takes pride in. She responded saying “Math because I’m best at it.” We then asked, who her favorite math teacher was or is currently, and what she remembers about them? She answered saying “I really don’t have a favorite but this year, I have Mr. Roberson as a teacher. He is very funny and nice. Last year I also had Mrs. Leal and she was such a sweet teacher.” 

Aside from math, Emily mentioned that she is interested in going to college after school. Emily plans to attend college at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor and pursue her career going into real estate. Emily was a strong Student Spotlight candidate for this month’s issue because she is very determined and has a bright future ahead of her. Emily is just a Sophomore and takes pride in all that she does. We look forward to seeing all that you will accomplish!

 

By: Jaelyn Morales

This month’s staff spotlight is about our wonderful Counselor Office Secretary, Mrs.Delgado, who has been working at PHS for the past 4 years and has helped our counselors out tremendously with transcripts, counselors’ calendars, scheduling appointments for counselors, and students coming and going in the office. As a counselors aid, I see Mrs. Delgado every morning in the office and she is always on her toes helping students with anything they need, answering phone calls, and assisting the counselors all while having a smile on her face and positive energy that always makes my morning.

Before joining the PHS staff, Mrs. Delgado worked in retail for 9 years before deciding to get her bachelors in business management and attended the University of Phoenix and Azusa Pacific University in California, both online, but since her husband was in the military and gone on duty, she decided to start working at an elementary close to home and then got a job at her daughters’ high school. Mrs. Delgado really enjoyed working with little kids at the elementary school and thought it was gonna be less fun working at the high school, but once she moved schools, she realized she actually loved working with the big kids. “I thought it was gonna be less fun, but y’all keep me on my toes just as much, just a different kind,”Mrs. Delgado said. 

When I asked what her favorite part about working at PHS was, Mrs. Delgado said it was interacting and helping the kids. Mrs. Delgado is always very busy at her desk with many different tasks on her list, yet she manages to get them done while always putting the students first. If you see Mrs. Delgado on campus, make sure to thank her for all she’s done for us and congratulate her on being this month’s staff spotlight. 

 

By: Myame Lara

 

With our fall sports coming to an end, the PHS Journalism staff decided to make this month’s athlete spotlight a dedicated, talented, and all-around great student at PHS. Kassidy Vickers is someone who fits into all those categories like a puzzle piece! I got the chance to interview Kassidy to ask her more about her athletic history, and just to learn more about her! 

 

Junior athlete Kassidy Vickers participates in the sports: cross country, track, and tennis, which she’s been in for about 5 years now. Sometimes juggling so many extracurricular activities can be stressful, but Kassidy stays motivated with the help of her parents, who are her “biggest supporters!”  Recently, Kassidy went state bound for cross country and placed 49th out of 152 girls. Kassidy’s advice to other athletes is, “Never give up, and always do you!” 

After high school, Kassidy plans on going to college and majoring in animal science, though she is not yet sure about running in college. Although Kassidy enjoys running and playing tennis, she also enjoys organizing things and getting extra practice in during her free time. “Trying to get better helps motivate me,” stated Kassidy.

 

Kassidy’s advice to other athletes is, “Never give up, and always do you!” I am very glad to have gotten the opportunity to interview Kassidy Vickers and get to know more about her. The journalism staff, along with everyone else at PHS, is excited to see what Kassidy has in store for her spring sports, and the seasons to come! Pride, Pride!

 

 By: Aaliyah Herrera 

For this issue, we decided to ask our Quill readers some questions we thought would be interesting to get advice from. Many replied with great advice and such interesting detail in their answers! Each question is a different person that decided to keep themselves Anonymous.

Best way to say goodbye to your friends when you graduate?  

The best way is by taking a multiple day road trip with all of them… by the end of the road trip, you will have made some great memories, but you will also be ready to get the heck away from them. – Anonymous

What came first, the color orange or an orange? 

Answering from a gardening perspective, the fruit exists way ( it is green at first) way before it becomes the color orange. – Anonymous 

Do you ever get old for Halloween? 

In some ways, yes, you can get too old for Halloween because some activities you grow out of. But on the other hand no because you still might enjoy eating candy, dressing up for your kids/siblings, or a party you might have gotten invited to. – Anonymous 

If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it? 

I would give to my family first if they are struggling, and if I have some leftover, I would give to a charity. – Anonymous 

Who might be your Secret Crush? 

Harry styles because he treats everyone with kindness no matter who they are, and he’s very fashionable! – Anonymous 

Would you cheat on your s/o with Ryan Reynolds? 

No, because we would never get a break or hang out because he’s famous and is always busy either acting for a movie or seeing his fans. – Anonymous 

  

Make sure to check your class in google classroom for our recent issue. The Poll is where you can give your advice to your questions! We are now going to start doing Advice Column like this hoping we could start hearing from our Quill readers for fun or interesting advice they would like to share! 

By: Kendall Zuniga 

On December 24, 2007, the Anderson family was gathered in their Washington home for the holidays soaking up the Christmas cheer but, sadly their cheer would be cut short by their own tragic murder. Michelle Anderson and husband Joseph McEnroe, arrived in their pickup truck at Michelle’s family home and didn’t hesitate to murder 6 family members and 3 different generations by gunshot. Of the 6 family members, 2 were Michelle’s 5-year old niece and 3-year old nephew. The family’s bodies were discovered two days later by a family friend and were immediately reported. 

Around 3 hours after the police arrived, Anderson and McEnroe pulled up to the Anderson house. They did not seem phased by the police cars surrounding the property, nor did they ask if Wayne and Judy were okay, raising officers’ suspicions right away. When Anderson was questioned why she would murder her own family, her reasoning was “tired of everybody stepping on her”. Michelle’s  brother, Scott, owed her $40,000 and would not pay her back, and that her parents had begun pressing her about paying rent money for living in the mobile home on their property, after she and McEnroe had lived there for a year free of charge. On December 28, Anderson and McEnroe were each charged with 6 counts of aggravated murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

 

By: Kendall Zuniga 

 

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special will have you jingling your bells all the way out of this world! Receiving a score of 7.1 out of 10 from IMDb, and 95% from Rotten Tomatoes, The Guardians  of the Galaxy Holiday Special stars Chris Pratt, Dave Butista, Pom Klementieff, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, and Kevin Bacon. Director, James Gunn, brings us a holiday movie filled with immense amounts of emotion that will surely get you in the spirit of Christmas this holiday season. Mantis(Pom Klementieff), and Drax(Dave Butista) go on a quest to earth to find the perfect gift to give to Peter(Chris Pratt) in hopes of making his Christmas unforgettable. 

I would give this movie 8.5 jingle bells out of 10.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas break and an awesome New Year! See you all in 2023!

December

 

Wintry mornings wrapped white,

Evenings,  calm and still,

Snowflakes dancing all around,

Sled rides down a hill,

Gatherings with loved ones – 

Such a pleasure to remember –

all memories and special gifts

That come with each 

December

 

By: Unknown

 

The weather is getting colder as the season progresses, and we may be able to get some snow to enjoy during the break. It will also be the time to go and see family that you miss during the weekdays and catch up with them. I wish all of the students, teachers, and staff a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

Sincerely,

 

The Passionate Poet

 

By: Alexandra Garcia 

Horoscopes this month: See what your Zodiac Sign had in store for you this November of 2022!

 

Aquarius: Witness without judgment that which is yearning to be witnessed within…

It is never a straight line for Aquarius. Your healing process tends to be messy but the more you explore inwards, the more you begin to uncover the shadowy aspects of yourself, so light the lamp of awareness. Witness without judgment which is reaching to be witnessed within. Something tells you, you are ready to break out of your cocoon. 

 

Pisces: Become aware of the beauty and grace that surrounds you in the present moment…

Happiness is more than just money in your bank account or likes on Instagram. This is about the quality of your life. It is about the things that bring you happiness and renders you with a sense of purpose. Today, you’re being asked to become aware of all things and people and experiences that add beauty and grace to your life and existence. Make time for those who bring you happiness and opportunities. 

 

Aries: Get ready to put your bossy pants back on…

You are in a life you wished for a long time ago. You have to open your eyes and become aware of all opportunities and miracles around you. This is a time for you to become confident and focus on your career and goals.

 

Taurus: Throw caution to the wind and take a bold step toward the future you have always envisioned for yourself…

This season is for the unknown for Taurus. You’re imploring and glowing. Do things that make your heart sing because that means you’re on the right track. This month is saying for you to not be afraid to let go and try new things. 

 

Gemini: Jump back into the stream of consciousness…

This is a time of experience and not intellectualization.  Let go of all those theories and worries, will you? Create a peaceful mindset for yourself. Drop all those questions and second thoughts, and just celebrate life and the many memorable upcoming days. 

 

Cancer: It’s time to show up as the most embodied version of yourself…

You’ve danced with many shadows and already have walked your demons to the exit door. You are a very brave and strong soul. This chapter of your life is all about rising and showing up as the most embodied version of yourself. Turn your wounds into wisdom and keep going. 

 

Leo:  It’s time to show up as the most formidable version of yourself…

You have pulled yourself out of the dark and now it is your time to relax. You have found the strength and courage to continue. Take life day by day. Become at peace with yourself. 

 

Virgo: Rely on your intuition to make big decisions… 

Your fears and worries always seem to catch up with you just when you’re about ready to explore. The good thing about this is you are not quite aware of this pattern, therefore you can set yourself free. You can lay back and trust yourself. 

 

Libra: Sometimes, you have to break your rules…

You are the one. You have been looking for yourself all along. Get obsessed with your goals, your dreams, and gifts. Look forward to your growth, and inspiration. Challenge yourself, and permit yourself to just go with the flow. 

 

Scorpio: By letting go of your resistance, you will find a way to get back in the flow…

Here’s the truth, not everyone will dance life with us all the way. Some will make it to the very end. While others may part ways. But accept the cycle of destruction and accept the cycle of creation. Understand that every end can bring a new beginning. New potential and hope. The more you accept every situation for what it is, the easier it will be for you to flow through. 

 

Sagittarius: The shadows are calling for your attention, Sagittarius…

We want to believe that the healing process is similar to ‘love and light.’ But the deeper into the psyche, the more we begin to uncover what’s hidden. The more we uncover what lies are hidden. We are called to become aware of the shadow aspects of life. Take a step back from the chaos and commotion from the outside world. Make your life a journey and witness the yearning to be witnessed.

 

Capricorn: The tools required to cope with many changes will always be provided for you… 

“Accept everything, and reject nothing”. The truth is not everyone is going to stay in your life til the very end. Some characters in the play tend to temporarily leave. Others may leave for good without a warning. But the important thing to remember is that every experience is for a reason. Lay your trust back into yourself. 

 

By: Jauslyn Ramirez 

 

~White Christmas ball wreath~

Want a way to be festive but not expensive? Using ONLY beautiful ornaments from last year! I am sure you have seen a lot of tutorials that hot glue the ornaments to a foam frame. That method works just fine but I already had some wire wreath frames laying around so I decided to use those instead.

Supplies:

• Glue gun
• Shatterproof ornaments of your choice
• Craft wire
• Wire cutters
• Wire wreath form

Step 1:

You will first want to cut a bunch of wire pieces, each about 7-8 inches long and then bend the wires in half. These will be used to tie bundles or ball ornaments together.

Go ahead and cut 30 or so. You can always add more later, if needed.

 

Step 2:

Next bundle them, simply take one piece of folded wire and thread 3 ornaments through their hangers. Then, twist the wire snugly 2 or 3 times to secure them.

 

Step 3:

you will take that cluster of ornaments and secure it to the wreath frame by wrapping the ends of the wire around it tightly.

Then simply, repeat making clusters and attaching them to the frame until the entire front and side of the wire form is covered with ornaments.

Make sure the clusters are snug against each other. You don’t want them to be shaky or loose.

 

Step 4:

If you wish, you can always trim the excess wires. Just don’t trim them too short so you don’t lose any ornaments!

Finally, check over the completed wreath for any gaps or holes in the ornaments.

Now that you have completed your DIY Christmas wreath with ball ornaments, the only thing left to do is add a bow and hang it!

 

By: Noah Ramos 

There is a short tale that everyone in town knows about that is told to all the children when Autumn comes around and that tale is called “The 4 Seasons War.” It is said that among this world were 4 special people who manifested as seasons such as Winter, Fall, Summer, and Spring. Each held an artifact of immense power, but the problem wasn’t the artifacts themselves, but those who wielded them. Each season wanted to rule supreme over the others and so the 4 seasons waged war on the others. What they didn’t realize was while the battles raged those who weren’t the seasons had to deal with weather that spelled dire consequences. Blizzards froze villages, droughts ravaged crops, relentless rain caused floods, and all around there was almost no safe place. Only when the seasons finally took a look at what had been happening below did they see what destruction they had done to others. So, after finally coming to an agreement, the seasons decided to hide the artifacts in order to not repeat the same mistake. Among these was a golden cornucopia that had the power to make an everlasting feast which could keep a whole continent fed. 

 I, Leah Warren, have vowed to find the golden cornucopia to save my village from starvation after many of the crops had died from an unknown source. Of course, I have been told I’m crazy for believing a children’s tale, but stories always have some truth to them otherwise who would make such tales? I decided, the sooner I set out, the better. While everyone was busy talking about what they would do for the food shortage, I snuck into the woods beside our village. The forest, where I believed the artifact to be, was very dangerous. Not only because of the animals who lived there, but people talked about the abnormal weather in that forest like it was an unknown force trying to get them out. Yet, the surrounding woods beyond that portion of the forest were normal. So, I decided to start by searching the area where the abnormal weather happened. When I started walking through the forest, nothing seemed to happen besides hearing the leaves crunching beneath my feet. But suddenly, a chilling wind swept through, out of nowhere. Even with my jacket, it felt like ice. I kept moving forward with every step bringing me deeper into the forest, as the wind became stronger and stronger. It felt as if I would be blown out before I found anything, but as I looked ahead, a cave came into view. I decided that would be the best place to start looking since everywhere else was just trees and leaves. When I stepped in, the cave was dark. Luckily, I had brought a lantern in case I had to search in the dark. The cave was bigger in the inside than I had seen from outside which only intrigued me further. 

As I moved deeper in the cave, I noticed there were signs of something living there such as discarded food that had long rotted away. What was worse? The stench. I pushed on until I saw some sunlight peering in from a crack in the ceiling. Beneath the light sat a long table with food displayed as well as the golden cornucopia. This felt relatively easy, but if it was here the whole time, how come no one else found it? As I started reaching for it, a voice behind startled me and caused the cornucopia to drop. I turned to be met with a man in a coat made of leaves as well as a staff with an amber-like gem. I asked who he was, and he responded with his name being “Fall”, and that I shouldn’t be messing with his stuff. He appeared to be one of the seasons from the tale, but even in awe, I felt anger. I asked why he hadn’t used the golden cornucopia for the starving village just outside the forest, and he responded by saying “they didn’t deserve it”.

“If you won’t help my town, then I will”, I exclaimed. I quickly reached down and scurried towards the entrance with the golden cornucopia in my arms. The funny thing is, while I was running out, instead of chasing after me, he only yelled I would regret taking the artifact and I would be back soon. I wish I had listened for what came next…