BY CHRISTINA ULAJ
Clarkston News Staff Writer
Everest Academy had a very important assignment for kindergartners through eighth grade students: they had to write an essay on the meaning of Christmas.
This is the first year Everest students wrote this type of essay. The assignment was designed to take the students through the steps of writing, and relate their work to a topic they know and understand.
‘It makes it more meaningful for the kids when they are writing about something they care about,? said principle Jeffrey Mazur. ‘When I was reading these essays, the general theme was that Christmas was not all about presents, but of family and giving.?
The students not only wrote their essays, but also were involved in peer editing and re-writes, so the children learn the most important techniques with writing.
‘The depth of their spirituality is incredible,? said Maura Plante, director of admissions. ‘It comes from home and we just reinforce it.?
The teachers turned in the top three essays from each class, and the administrators chose the best two. The best of the best will participate in a classroom ceremony where they will be honored with a certificate of achievement. Everest faculty is very proud of the children’s portrayal of the meaning of Christmas.
Plante and Mazur both agreed on two essays: one by third grader Elizabeth Allard and the other by seventh grader Drew Schupbach.
Enjoy!

‘The Christmas Dream?
By Elizabeth Allard
Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Emma. It was Christmas time, and she was very excited about the toys she would be getting. All day she would think about new dolls, books, and clothes. But, at night, something strange happened. She would dream about a baby. This baby did not have a lot of new things. He was in an old blanket, and there were animals all around him. When the baby looked at her, he would smile and say, ‘I love you.? She wanted to dream about new toys, but all she could dream about was the baby! She decided to find out what this meant. So, she told her parents all about her strange dreams. Her parents smiled and reminded her about the real story of Christmas. The next night, when she had her dream, she talked to the baby. She said, ‘I am so sorry baby Jesus. I forgot about you for a little while, but now I will keep Christmas in my heart all year.? The next morning, the first thing she did was thank Jesus for all her blessings, and then, she opened her presents with a happy heart.
The End.

‘Christmas Tradition?
By Drew Schupbach
Many people in today’s world really don’t know what Christmas is all about. Most people think it is about celebrating winter by giving presents. Giving presents is kind, but why do we do it? We do it to reenact the love Jesus had for us by coming down on Christmas.
Getting presents on Christmas is a wonderful tradition, but the heart of Christmas is not about receiving, it is about giving. By giving presents we show Christ how we appreciate his coming down by trying to imitate his love. Even though when you think about Christmas you think about getting and not giving, the real spirit is about giving.
There are more than presents at Christmas. We decorate our home with objects that remind us of his birth. We often put up a nativity scene. We put a star or an angel on our tree for the star over Bethlehem or the angel that appeared to the shepherds. The most important thing is to prepare ourselves for Jesus’s coming. We do this by our prayers and actions.