December 1, 2025, It was a cold, snowy night in Madison C-3, the kind where the wind feels sharp enough to cut straight through your coat. The town still seemed half-asleep from Thanksgiving break. Students were dragging themselves back into the rhythm of school, already wishing the holiday had lasted just a little longer. Then, at 5:07 p.m, a Panther Alert lit up phones across the district “Madison C-3 School will not be in session on December 2, 2025”. 

The message spread instantly, almost mythically, as if delivered by some mysterious winter guardian rather than the Alliant Bank system that actually sent it. Within minutes, group chats erupted. A snow day right after break felt like a gift nobody expected. For many, it turned an ordinary week into something magical; a surprise day off, a shorter school week, and a chance to squeeze a little more rest out of the season. Some called it luck. Others joked it was the universe’s way of keeping things balanced—an extended break to make up for the fact that Mondays always seem to arrive too soon. 

Whatever the reason, December 2nd became more than just a snow day. It was a moment of unexpected joy in the middle of winter, a reminder th

The FFA annual fruits sales packets were sent out early September this year. The goal this year for every member to sell was $500, which is not a hard feat. Out of all our members, twenty of them met the goal, allowing them to potentially attend the 2026 FFA National Convention and Expo. The total amount of money sold was $19,521.12 which is a huge upgrade from last year’s sales. A quote from Mrs. Haverkamp states, “Our numbers were up this year compared to last year, but we are still chasing that goal of selling a total of $20,000." Also, being involved in FFA gives me the opportunity to say how proud I am that most members strived to sell the amounts they did, and that it is a great accomplishment. Treasurer Melena Bollman states, “We thank everyone for their hard work and dedication for this fundraiser, parents and students included. After 4 years in participating in it I know of all of the struggles and stress. Counting all of the $19,521.12 only further proved how much effort is put into this sale.

In conclusion, these FFA members sold this lovely fruit to their friends, community, and beyond. Next year, they strive to meet their goal of $20,000 through hard work and dedication. 

It is once again that familiar and highly anticipated time of year at Madison C-3. Five-day school weeks return in full force, the Christmas season draws near, and winter break looms just ahead. As the semester approaches its conclusion, students are pushing themselves to finish strong, determined to end the term on a high note. After enduring the demanding final two weeks of school, students are rewarded not only with the promise of winter break, but also with one of the most anticipated traditions of the season: the Holiday Fun Day. 

This year’s Holiday Fun Day offered students a variety of engaging activities, including four rotations of festive games and events, as well as the choice between watching a holiday movie or competing in the highly anticipated school-wide volleyball tournament. Holiday Fun Days have been a cherished tradition for nearly as long as Christmas itself, and since their earliest beginnings, the volleyball tournament has remained a centerpiece of the celebration. 

The day began with the high school students rotating through board games and other festive activities, while the junior high students took to the court to compete in their portion of the tournament. Team after team faced off, each striving for victory and a chance to advance. Once junior high competition concluded, it was time for the high school students to enter the tournament. The high school matches were intense and fiercely competitive. However, in keeping with long-standing tradition, the senior class once again emerged victorious, earning their place in the championship game. 

Their next challenge came against a determined and spirited group of junior high students. Though the junior high competitors gave the match their all, the seniors ultimately prevailed, securing another decisive win. With that victory, the senior class advanced to the final match of the day, an ultimate showdown against the staff. Coach Love, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Havercamp, Mrs. Thrasher, and Garry The Goat stood united in a final stand against the seniors. The match was intense and hard-fought, drawing excitement and anticipation from spectators throughout the gym. 

In the end, the seniors once again claimed victory, taking home the crown and officially bringing the Holiday Fun Day to a close. Their win marked a fitting conclusion to a day filled with tradition, competition, and school spirit, signaling the end of the semester and the beginning of a well-earned winter break.

The Madison High School basketball team traveled to Novinger at the beginning of the season to participate in their annual tournament. Novinger hosts this tournament every year, inviting teams from several different districts to compete against each other for a consolation plaque. The tournament is exciting because it gives teams a chance to play against schools they don't normally face during the regular season. The entire tournament takes place over the course of three days, with multiple games scheduled each day.

The Madison boys faced the Brashear Wildcats in their first game of the tournament. We came out strong and had a good fight in the first half, managing to hold them off and keep the score relatively close. The Wildcats had pretty good defense that made it difficult for us to score consistently. However, in the second half, Brashear pulled ahead and we struggled to keep up with their pace. Even though we put up a good fight throughout the entire game, we ultimately lost with a final score of 24-51.

In the second game of the tournament, we played against Novinger, the school that was hosting the tournament. The boys played a well-fought game even though Novinger is known to be a pretty good team. It was a close game for most of the time, and their defense was really tough to break through. We managed to hold them off until the second half, when they started to pull away from us. Our team kept fighting hard and managed to keep Novinger to only 35 points by the end of the game. Unfortunately, we came up short again, with the final score being 37-50.