Rewarding time is gifted to the students of District Seven. A four-day weekend, where Thanksgiving is celebrated, is a nice reprieve-- a whole week that is devoted to giving back to others and being grateful for the people we have in our lives. Students are able to use this weekend to spend time with their family and friends, celebrate Thanksgiving, and catch up on schoolwork. Many students and teachers look forward to this break from Nov. 27-30. Mrs. Connelly exclaims, “I love mashed potatoes and gravy, so there is extra of that!” Make sure to take advantage of this break and revel in all the decadent food, laughter, and warmth.

A fun way to bring the community together and embrace the holidays is exactly what the Holiday Card Contest stands for.  Involving all grade levels, Kindergarten through high school, all students are welcome to participate in this exciting competition. Grants Pass students are able to showcase their creativity through drawing or painting a card that embodies the holiday spirit. The best cards will be chosen through a judge panel consisting of the school boards and community members. In response to last year's contest, a local newspaper called the Grants Pass Tribune reflected on how “Each piece reflected the joy, beauty, and warmth of winter and the holidays.” It is encouraged to participate in this festive,  community-building event, in which the student winners are rewarded with recognition of their talented art skills by the community and local news.  

A one-mile fun run and 5K recently took place in Grants Pass on Nov. 1, hosted at our local gym, Club Northwest. The money paid to participate in both runs is fully donated to support local students who are a part of Project Youth+, a non-profit organization that helps to represent first-generation, low-income students. The Project Youth+ website reports that “The 5K race starts at 10:00 a.m. The 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk starts at 11:00 a.m”. It costs 30 dollars for an adult to run the 5K, five dollars for youth to run the 5K, and five dollars for adults/youth to run the fun run. There were also exciting activities like food trucks, bounce houses, family games, music, and more. And costumes are encouraged on the one-mile fun run! Project Youth+ Advisor Randi Stewart describes that the goal of this event is to “get everybody hyped up or pumped up as possible. The Grants Pass Cross Country Team is there and they like to hype up the crowd.” It is also a way to give Project Youth+ members a chance to do community service, and get the organization's purpose/word into Grants Pass.

A pop-up flea market is going to take place at the Josephine County Fairgrounds on Nov. 8. People from the community are able to sign up online and claim spots to sell their secondhand goods. For example, antiques, collectibles, homemade goods, and clothing are sold by local vendors. The Southern Oregon Flea Market is an organization that works with local convention centers, popping up around multiple locations like Grants Pass, Medford, and Redmond. According to Southern Oregon Flea Markets website, there are “ cash door prize drawings every 30 minutes.” Whoever walks in is immediately entered into the drawing and has the chance of winning a prize! There is a buzzing, positive energy to this local event where community members are interacting with each other and profiting from their homemade/secondhand goods. Attending this flea market is the perfect way to support local community members.

Grants Pass Dance Club is a nonprofit organization that hosts dance classes at the Josephine County Fairgrounds. Everyone is welcome to attend the first time, and it is encouraged to bring friends and family. All ages are allowed to participate, so there is a fun mix of all age groups. Grants Pass Dance Club's website states, “We have over 100 members featuring a 5000 square-foot dance floor with the best dance value in Southern Oregon.” At this social club, multiple dances are taught, like the Cha-Cha, Waltz, West Coast Swing, ballroom dance, and line dancing. There are also live jazz bands that play for the dancers, and they have a fun special tradition where every first Friday of the month is birthday celebration day. The annual membership to join this social club is five dollars for members and seven dollars for non-members. Also, every Monday, there are dances/lessons held from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.. If any community members are interested in learning new dances and meeting other people in the community, go join the Grants Pass Dance Club!