by Sofia Vazquez Bruno

As a child, I remember the season surrounding Christmas filling my house with the ringing melodies of coritos (short rhythmic choruses) as my family gathered around the fireplace in song. 

Christmas is arguably the most observed holiday around the world; it holds roots in both religious and ancient traditions. Many associate the holidays with a time when family and community come together despite their differences. It is a time of reflection, blessings and gratitude. The significance of traditions is in the reaffirming nature of cultural identity which holds sentimental value. 

On the island of Puerto Rico, the spirit of musical connection is awakened through parrandas. Also known as asaltos navideños, these celebrations involve a group of friends called la trulla, who gather in the late hours of the night to surprise their neighbors with festive music on traditional instruments such as the cuatro, maracas, and güiros, creating a boisterous awakening. The recipient generally welcomes the trulla and provides the party with traditional treats such as pasteles and coquito. This tradition embodies the theme of community as the hosts of each house eventually join the trulla, turning a small group of friends into a massive traveling celebration. (read more)

by Kamalika Bezzam and Noelle Duncan

As Southeast Alamance High School grows, new teachers join the herd of Stallion faculty. Many teachers were hired this year including Mrs. Teri Rasa. Within the Social Studies Department, Mrs. Rasa teaches World History. It is clear that Mrs. Rasa loves working with the students at Southeast.

A strong knowledge in her subject area, Rasa reflects on the experience she brings to Southeast. "There are a few things I love about my job. One is being able to share my interest and passion about World History and helping students have a greater understanding of why the world is the way it is. Another is helping students have the 'lightbulb' moments. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing a student who was struggling with a concept suddenly grasp it and make the connection. I love seeing students find pride in their accomplishments. (read more)

by Shayla Leach

Every year, thousands of people gather in New York City to witness the sparkling spectacle of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. The tree, adorned with thousands of twinkling lights and towering above the crowds, is a beacon of holiday cheer in the heart of Manhattan. For many, attending the tree lighting or simply stopping by to see it in person is a cherished tradition passed down through generations. Families, tourists, and locals alike make special trips to Rockefeller Plaza, braving the cold to be part of an event that signals the official start of the holiday season in New York. But how did this iconic holiday tradition begin, and why does it capture the hearts of so many? The answer lies in a rich history filled with hope, unity, and the enduring magic of the holidays.

The tradition dates back to 1931 during the depths of the Great Depression. As Rockefeller Center was being constructed, the workers found a way to bring some holiday cheer to their difficult circumstances. They pooled their money to buy a small 20-foot balsam fir and decorated it with handmade garlands, strings of cranberries, paper, and even tin cans. Photographs from the time show the men standing proudly around their makeshift tree, a symbol of hope and unity during a period when many families struggled to get by. (read more)

by Zyania Garcia Hernández

As the weather is getting cooler, so are the snacks. Try recreating these cozy foods, perfect for the season!

Snow Buddies

Ingredients:

• Bananas

• Raspberries

• Chocolate chips

• Cheez-it pieces

Directions:

Slice a banana and use 3 pieces from it. Shape them into snowmen by placing them on a flat surface then place chocolate chips on top of the slices to form eyes and buttons. With the corner of the cheez-its, form it to look like the carrot of the snowman. And there you are, snow buddies! (read more)

by Shayla Leach and Brody Dixon

This year, the student population of Southeast Alamance had a global presence with four international exchange students. These students bring diverse perspectives from countries including Switzerland (Lisa Faeh), France (Simon Cremer), Hungary (Hilal Dizdar) and Italy (Gaia Carrara). Beyond engaging in the high school experiences at Southeast and personal growth through creating new friendships, this year's exchange students are fostering an invaluable global perspective within our local community one conversation at a time. The Daily Trot was able to discuss different aspects of the experiences of Hilal Dizdar, Gaia Carrara and Simon Cremer. (read more).

by Payton Cleary

In 2024, over 81.7 million people went into stores spending around 10.3 billion, averaging around 11.3 million per second on what is commonly known as Black Friday.

The Friday following Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year in the United States. National chain stores bring guests into their shops by offering limited time money saving deals on items. Many companies offer similar, or sometimes even lower, deals online.

The term Black Friday stems from the 1960s, when police officers in Philadelphia used the term “black friday” to describe the chaos that resulted from large amounts of tourists that came into the city to go holiday shopping.  The commonly understood term for shoppers didn't really take off around the US till the late 1980s. (read more)

by Payton Cleary

As if being a nurse were not difficult enough, being a school nurse requires many skills. A school nurse constantly creates bonds with students by trying to make that person calmer both mentally or physically. 

To shine more light onto school nursing The Daily Trot interviewed school nurse Rebecca Hudso to go deeper into the ups and downs associated with the stress levels of being a school nurse.

What made you want to be a high school nurse?

When I first became a school nurse, I worked in a middle school. But when I heard about the new high school being built, I quickly became interested because I enjoy working with teens and know they need as much, if not more, compassion and care as little ones. 

What's the hardest part of being a school nurse?

Being the only healthcare professional in the building! In a hospital setting, you have other nurses, doctors, etc to bounce questions off or to assist with situations. In the school setting, the nurses train certain staff to be first responders to help with different scenarios and they basically work under our nurse license. 

When is it most busy?

My most busy time during the day is around WIN time. That is when I have an influx of students who come up for a variety of reasons. The most busy time of year is the beginning of the year. This is when I do most of the medication processing, medical plans, staff training and immunization reviews.

Is it ever overwhelming or too stressful?

I used to be a Cardiac/Medical-Surgical nurse at a hospital which was very stressful and overwhelming a lot of the time. School nursing can have those moments too but this is my true passion. Because of this, the stress that I sometimes feel is very manageable.

What are the bonds like that you are making here?

I feel that I have a lot of positive relationships with students, staff and family at Southeast. It's important to have a sense of belonging and feel comfortable where you live and work and to do so, you must be respectful and kind to everyone no matter their background. It's ok to disagree with someone but to build those bonds and relationships you need to try to step in other's shoes and see things from their point of view and appreciate each other's differences. 

How is it watching your sons being a senior? 

I love working at the school both of my sons attend! Being with them, especially during their senior year, is very special to me because I get to see both of them enjoy all their "lasts". I will definitely miss seeing them around in the years to come but I hope to still be here when my two little ones start high school!

What would be any advice you'd give to any students who are wanting to become nurses or school nurses? 

Specifically, school nursing is much more than what people see. It is definitely not passing out bandaids and ice packs day in and day out! What goes on behind the scenes to make sure each and every student is safe and healthy, both physically and mentally, is a lot more than what a lot of people can fathom. School nursing is very unique and rewarding! I would advise any student that wants to be a nurse to make sure you are going into nursing for the right reasons and to research the many different fields of nursing there is to make sure you are going into the type that will make you most happy and inspired to do your best each and every day. 

School nursing is a challenging job, but, for Nurse Hudson, she is always ready for another patient with open arms. 

by Zyania I Garcia

Want to eat something aesthetically pleasing that matches with the fall vibe? Something that you will enjoy consuming? Try creating these fall snacks that will “leaf” you satisfied.

Pumpkin Pie Cake Pops

Ingredients:

Want to eat something aesthetically pleasing that matches with the fall vibe? Something that you will enjoy consuming? Try creating these fall snacks that will “leaf” you satisfied.

Pumpkin Pie Cake Pops

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin pie

• ¾ cup Graham crackers

• Melted white chocolate.

• Sprinkles

Directions:

Smash up a small pie and the Graham crackers into a bowl. Once fully mixed together, roll the batter into balls. The treats then need to be placed inside the freezer for about 25-30 minutes. As the cake pops chill, melt up some white chocolate to coat them in. They should already be stabbed with a stick when doing so. Once they are all properly coated, top them with sprinkles.

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Apple Cinnamon Donuts

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour

• ¼ cup Corn starch

• 1 cup milk

• Apple

• Cinnamon

• OPTIONAL~ Sugar 

Directions:

Slice your apple(s) in a vertical manner, and cut out a hole in the middle of the pieces. After doing so, mix the flour, corn starch, milk and cinnamon all in a bowl. The apples are then to be coated in the batter made. Fry the pieces in a pan until golden brown, then coat them with cinnamon and sugar when done.

Pretzel Spider Webs

Ingredients:

• Pretzel sticks (8 per each web)

• Melted chocolate

• OPTIONAL~ Sprinkles

Directions:

Place the pretzel sticks into an asterisk kind of form on top of a tray on parchment paper. The chocolate can be melted in the microwave for 1 minute. Times may vary. Dip a kitchen tool into melted chocolate. (Spatula or spoon is recommended.) Slowly circle around the formed pretzels, carefully drizzling the chocolate, creating a spider web shape. Before the chocolate cools, add sprinkles on the chocolate.

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Caramel Apples

Ingredients:

• Apple

• Melted caramel

• TOPPINGS: Crushed walnuts, sprinkles, cookie pieces, coconut shreds or candy.

• OPTIONAL ~ Chocolate

Directions:

Stick a skewer into the top of the apple and press down towards the middle. Caramel can be melted in the microwave for asd1 minute. Times may vary. Gently dip the apple into the bowl of melted caramel, covering all, if not most of the apple. Chocolate may be applied after this step. Before the caramel and chocolate hardens, dip or cover the apple with toppings. Freeze if necessary.

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Pumpkin Spice Chai Cupcakes

Ingredients for chai spice:

• 2 tsp Ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp Ground cloves

• 1 tsp Ground cardamom

• ⅓ cup Granulated sugar.

• ½ tsp Ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp Ground ginger

• ½ tsp Pumpkin spice

Directions: 

Mix all of the ingredients except the sugar. Separate the mixture in half and add sugar to one of the halves.

Ingredients for cupcakes:

• 1 ½ Cupcake flour

• 1 can Pumpkin Puree 15 oz

• ½ cup of Milk

• 1 ¼ Baking powder

• 2 tsp Vanilla extract

• ½ cup Melted butter or vegetable oil

• ¼ cup Granulated sugar

• 2 Eggs

• ½ tsp Baking soda

• ½ tsp Salt

• ½ Chai spice mixture without sugar

Directions:

Mix ingredients and place the dough into cupcake trays. Bake at 350°F for 20-23 minutes. Dip the cupcakes into the chai spice mixture

Ingredients for frosting:

• 4 oz Cream cheese

• ½ Unsalted butter

• 2 tsp Vanilla extract

• 2 cups Powdered sugar

• 1 tsp Espresso powder

• ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon

• 1 tsp leftover Chai spice.

Directions:

Use a hand or stand mixer to fluff the butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until light and soft. 3-4 minutes on high if using a stand mixer.

If you are looking for a fall snack, these ideas are a great place to start.