Christmas “Monopolizes” Cranberry

Michael Gunn, one of this year’s participants, said of the activity, “A smashing good time.  I love spending money!”

There are even special ways for the teams to earn and lose money.  

For this Christmas season, Journalism reused popular aspects of games from years prior.  Two teachers at Cranberry High School each dressed up as Santa Claus and the Grinch. Mr. Bost, who dressed as Santa, walked the halls and gave teams extra money for singing Christmas carols.  The Grinch, however, Mr. Highfield, would take away students money for displaying their Christmas spirit.

The halls were decorated to the brim to resemble a life like Monopoly board with a variety of spaces.  

Senior, Trevor Gladin, commented, “I loved the idea and the set up.  It was all very festive and fit the theme very well.”

Along with the students playing the game, we also had three teacher teams; a women’s team named Santa’s Superheroes, men’s team called Santa’s Special Snowflakes, and an office team named Scrooge’s Little Helpers. 

Taking first place winning monopoly t-shirts designed by sophomore Hannah Niedderriter, was the team Santa’s Superheroes. 

There were some concerns involving the teacher teams, particularly the office team, called Scrooge’s Little Helpers.  It consisted of Mrs. Bell, Mrs. Lalley and Vice-Principal, Mr. Deemer.  

We had a bit of a Christmas scandal going on with the Scrooge’s Little Helpers getting too focused on the idea of winning and not on just enjoying the festivities.  These three were caught sneaking money from the Monopoly staff. What a scene!

When asked to defend his team, Mr. Deemer replied, “I’m framed.  It was a good time, but I was framed.”

 The three of them were later given special detention slip for lack of sportsmanship and Christmas spirit.

Mr. Deemers last remark was, “In the words of President Trump, this is going to be fake news.”

In the end, the top three teams from senior high and junior high won some incredible prizes.

The senior high winners were the Sugar Elves, the Noel-It-Alls and the Kandy Kane Kids and the junior high winners were Christmas Crazies, Danny Devito, and The Grinch's.  

The first place teams were the Sugar Elves (senior high), consisting of Emilee Miller, Emily Duncan, Saige Slater and Chloe Rapp, and the Christmas Crazies (junior high), consisting of Emerson Culver, Reyna Watson, Kenzie Stahlman and Taylor Felix.  As a prize, they were awarded trophies in the shape of the monopoly hat game piece, made by metal shop students Cameron Walney and Austin Collins, along Sheetz gift cards for each member of the team.  

The senior high’s Noel-It-Alls, Elly Adams, Abby Pedley, Chelsea McKissick and Madi Buchanan, and the junior high’s Danny Devito, Jacie Regal, Ruthie Simmers, Katelyn Shultz and Jordan Anderson, won second place.  

The senior high’s Kandy Kane Kids, Olivia Plummer, Matt Woolcock, Kenny Lavrick and Maddy Bunyak, and junior high’s The Grinch’s, Mallory McMasters, Macy Weeter, Ava McCullough, Caitlyn King, won third place.  

Both second and third place teams were awarded plaques. 

Sugar Elves team captain, Saige Slater, exclaimed, “Great birthday gift,” as today was also her  birthday.

Along with the Monopoly game, students were able to decorate sugar cookies during lunches. This could not have been possible without the generous donations of sprinkles from our staff and the generosity of our cafeteria team who supplied the cookies and icing. 

Students ended the day with some musical entertainment from staff members. The video will be posted on our Youtube channel. It was quite a day! 

Everyone seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves and will look back on this with fond memories.  What a way to kick off the winter break. Happy Holidays!