Seniors enjoy lunch in their newly decorated alcove. Underclassmen and teachers who passed through the senior hallway last Friday might have heard Pandora holiday stations being played through the speakers or noticed a small but mighty Christmas tree sitting in a pot on the benches.  On Tuesday, senior Sterling Askin carried the new and bigger pictured tree into D-lunch, much to the excitement of many. “My lovely mother heard that we were trying to decorate the alcove and purchased our exquisite arboreal specimen,” commented Askin. In addition to the tree, decked with lights and an ornament, seniors participate in Sweater Mondays and have other holiday-themed plans. As the seniors continue to get into the winter spirit, more decorations, of any and all winter holidays, are welcomed into the alcoves

School was surprisingly empty Tuesday as the junior class travelled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to learn more about the historic Civil War battle that occurred there.

Leaving school just before 7:00 a.m., the juniors, led by history teacher Mrs. Tammy Chincheck, stopped at the Pike restaurant, just outside of Gettysburg, for a breakfast buffet before re-boarding the bus and heading to the Gettysburg Museum.

At the museum, students had the opportunity to look at battle artifacts and pictures, while also watching a short film on the battle of Gettysburg before viewing the Cyclorama exhibit, featuring a circular room painted all the way around, from floor to ceiling, depicting the battle.

The juniors once again boarded the busses, with the addition of two park rangers who served as their tour guides of the historic grounds.  The bus drove students around the battlefield, occasionally stopping to allow students the opportunity walk around.  Some stops on the tour included Seminary Ridge and Little Round Top.

Stopping for some fast food before beginning the trip back to Falls Church, students bought lunch.

It’s exciting “to go to Gettysburg because it will be cool to see some of the places we’ve been studying in class!” said Courtney King, junior.

Each year the senior class participates in a service project in which meals are prepared and delivered to the Falls Church Homeless Shelter. Members of the senior class, in groups of four to six people, can be found in the old Gourmet Cooking classroom every Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. preparing these meals for about fifteen people.

Before actually cooking the meal, food and other supplies are bought at Giant, with a budget of about $100 each week. This money comes directly from the senior funds, the majority coming from profits made from homecoming earlier this year.

The meal prepared is decided upon by the students and teacher sponsor signed up, so it changes every week.

“We try to make meals that are not only healthy, but are something we would eat,” explained senior class co-sponsor Mr. Will Snyder, who has been in charge of this service project tradition for the past few years.

Seniors have about two hours to cook and clean up the kitchen before delivering the meal to the Homeless Shelter at about 5:30 p.m.

“Cooking dinner for the homeless shelter is a lot of fun and we get to help out people at the same time,” said senior class Vice President Kallen Shea.

Seniors are needed to help every Tuesday, now through February. To sign up, talk to one of the class officers, Stu Harvey, Hannah Beaman, Shea, or Drisana Sutch, telling them which day or days you would like to volunteer for.

“There is also a Facebook poll on the Class of 2013 Facebook page that people can use to sign up,” explained Shea.

Being a senior class project, it would be nice for the entire grade to help out. This is one way to give back to the Falls Church community that many of us have lived in for over a decade.

Annually, the Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department drives Santa around Falls Church City neighborhoods in a decorated fire truck.

Decked out with lights, candy canes and music, the truck is definitely a tradition that many look forward to.

"I love [the Santa on the fire truck]! He gives out candy canes!" agreed Autumn Broxon, freshman.

Kids all over the city prepare for this once-a-year event by checking when Santa will visit their neighborhoods. If you want to track Santa, visit the Santamobile website at http://www.fallschurchvfd.org/santa/santa.htm or visit the Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department’s event calendar http://www.fallschurchvfd.org/calendar.asp to see when Santa will come to your neighborhood.

Santa will be making his rounds from December 15 through 20 from around 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Be ready!

George Mason’s 2012-2013 Poetry Out Loud participants happily pose after the school-wide competition adjourns. Earlier in the competition, the contestants competed for the position to represent George Mason in Richmond against other schools in the state. Revealing a broad grin, Fae Montgomery, senior, disclosed “this is my third year participating.  It felt good,” she said with a relieved sigh as she explained how it felt to finally hear her name called as the winner. Junior Lily Constance was named the runner-up and stand-in in the event that Montgomery cannot make it to the Regional competition held at the Signature Theatre located in Arlington, Virginia on February 22, 2013.  Photo Credit: Tara Holman

Junior Owen Miller basks in the sun during this warm and sunny start to winter. “This weather is fantastic,” said Brian Connelly, “I can go outside anytime without freezing.” With Monday and Tuesday temperatures getting into the low 70’s, students enjoyed this abundance of sunshine.  However, Thursday morning hit the region with temperatures just above freezing.