SIDNEY — As Holy Angels students prepare for the “long winter’s nap” over Christmas vacation, teachers and administrators have still managed to keep them alert and busy in the month of December.

The season of Advent began on Sunday, Dec. Students have been discussing the Advent Saints in class (St. Nick even made an appearance!) and doing acts of kindness as they prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

The Junior High Christmas program was held on Dec. 3. The Junior High choir, under the direction of Lori Beigel, performed number of Christmas tunes. They even performed an African folk song, singing in Zulu. Ryan Wendell directed the fifth,- sixth-grades, and junior high bands. All of the bands combined to play a final song, “We wish you a Merry Christmas.”

The annual Holy Angels Spelling Bee was held on Thursday, Dec. 6, in the school gymnasium. Judges for the bee were Kelly Freeh, Heidi Braun, and Nancy Wagner. The position of spelling bee announcer/pronouncer was held by Kevin Schmiesing. After seven rounds, Carter Rigel emerged as the winner, while first runner-up honors went to Ryan Fitchpatrick. Carter will participate in the city-wide spelling bee to be held on Feb. 5 at Sidney Middle School.

HA hallways were filled with “ugly Christmas sweaters” on Dec. 12. Students were permitted to wear their ugliest Christmas sweater and a pair of jeans for $1. The proceeds from this “eye-wrenching” event were used by the HA Student Council members to purchase Christmas gifts for the residents at Dorothy Love Retirement Center.