Seasonal activities pile up like snow
Even though it doesn't snow in Gridley, Gridley High School is becoming a snowstorm of upcoming events, and nearly everyone here has something to get involved in and support. Flurries of sports, fundraisers, tournaments and new clubs are falling everywhere and covering the campus.
GHS recently hosted a blood drive for BloodSource. A lot of students showed up to donate, including myself, and give blood to those who really need it. It may have been a slightly scary situation for some, but in the end, it felt good to know that many people were greatly helped by the students here.
Gridley High is also participating in a canned-food drive to help those less fortunate in the community. Every year during Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, GHS students get a chance to take part in a good cause and help those who would otherwise possibly go hungry in this time of giving thanks for what we have.
"During the holidays, I love spending time with my family and sharing what I'm grateful for, and it's just an amazing feeling to know everyone that contributes to our canned food drive is the reason why some people are grateful," said Alexandria Garner, a junior and member of the Leadership class who is responsible for collecting all the cans from the classes. The canned-food drive continues until Christmas break, and we hope to reach our goal of collecting 1,000 cans.
Winter also brings with it the introduction of new clubs to the campus. After a few years of being absent from the Gridley High campus, the ski club is finally trying to make its way back. I, along with others, am looking forward to finally getting to spend some time in the snow.
"Ski club is well on its way to becoming a new favorite to some at GHS. Currently, we are really trying to get people involved and dedicated to going. All current members, including me, are extremely excited about hittin' the slopes," said junior Sarah Tichy. For now, we'll keep our fingers crossed in hopes that the club will get to continue.
Around this time of year, it is almost impossible not to talk about sports, especially basketball. The Gridley Invitational Basketball Tournament, or GIBT, and the Lady Bulldog Holiday Classic, or LBHC, are right around the corner with LBHC running today through Saturday, and GIBT on Dec. 9 to 11.
Both the girls and boys teams have been practicing hard to prepare for these tournaments. "Even though our team lacks height this year, we've got game, and our speed is going to take us far. I'm excited to see how we progress and come together as a team," said Katie Olson, who plays with the varsity girls team.
Nearly everyone at GHS is excited to kick off these tournaments, the voting for GIBT queen and LBHC king and also, of course, the kick-off rally.
With only about three weeks of school left before vacation, students are bound and determined to get the most out of the time left and have as much fun as possible.
Mariah Holmes is a junior at Gridley High School. Her column appears every six weeks in Education.
