The holiday season at ODA started out on a good note in more ways than one.

On December 12 in the Black Box theater at ODA was a holiday concert and an art show. Students displayed artwork from all of the first semester’s art classes in the hallway. All classes were able to show off their work for the end of the semester. Throughout the Art Building hung artwork from photography, drawing, painting, and ceramics.  Throughout the day, students from band and orchestra were playing holiday favorites.

The band showed off the new steel drums that they have been practicing on from the beginning of the year. They played Three Little Birds and Oye Como Va on 5 different steel drums.

“The steel drums are a welcome addition to the band. It allowed us to branch out into different types of music,” said Senior Zach Poole.

In the late afternoon, the Chorus sang a repertoire of holiday songs with Filip Svoboda singing a solo of White Christmas.

“It was the best concert of the year,” said Senior Garrett Luhman.

On the last Wednesday Ovation of the year, the Upper School had three holiday-themed Thunder cup events between the grades. The first one was the candy cane relay race that the juniors won. Five people from each grade had a candy cane in their mouth and had to pass an extra candy cane down and back the line. Whoever finished first won.

The next event was to pin the candle on the menorah. Similar to pin the tail on the donkey, one person had to put three candles on a menorah while blindfolded.

But for many people, the most entertaining event of all was the Rudolph sled race. Two people from each grade participated one on a rolling “sled” with three different colored balls and one pulling the sled. There were three garbage cans with the same color as the ball and you had to put the correct ball in the cans.

It was a timed event. The senior class won.

The week will end with the annual faculty versus seniors football game then students are off for two weeks of rest and play.

Enjoy the time away ODA. Happy Holidays.