Would you like to help a family in need this Christmas? Well, you can because for the month of December, Madison School has set up a Hope for the Holidays family program. For those who do not know what Hope for the Holidays is, families in need can submit a survey of things they need/want to the schools anonymously then different organizations can “adopt” a family and help them out this Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. So if you want to help make someone's Holiday more special this is the perfect way to go and it is the perfect way to show your support for the Madison community! If you would like more information contact Miss Hoffman at khoffman@madison.k12.mo.us

On November 21st, two amazing teachers, Mrs. Reinhart and Mrs. Brown took the Sophomores and Ecology class on a field trip to the Kansas City Zoo in an effort to understand the wonders of science. On this excursion, students had the opportunity to take a look at many different species of wildlife such as llamas, snakes, birds and many others. Students had the opportunity to see animals from all over the world with dedicated zones featuring animals from Australia and Africa. 

The zoo trip consisted of two animal related highlights. The first highlight was the aquarium where students could study aquatic life firsthand with creatures such as jellyfish, seahorses, turtles and other water loving creatures. The second favorite thing was the penguin exhibit where adorable and fun-loving penguins could be seen playing amongst themselves. 

On top of the exotic creatures there were also non-animal-oriented things that students were able to experience. Students took part in eating at one of the local food places on site being Beastro’s cafe where students could get delectable snacks and thirst-quenching beverages at the expense of all of their life savings. The second attraction was the train where you travel around the zoo in style. 

Thanks to the zoo trip experience, the students who went on this educational and entertaining trip were delighted at all the fun there was to be had and came back with a smile on their faces.

This November, I thought it would be interesting to capture the opinions on fall-related traditions by conducting a student poll. Students were sent a Google survey to fill out during their RTI class period. The purpose of the pole was to find out how we enjoy the fall season here in Madison! 

Some may start their Thanksgiving Day, with a pumpkin spice latte. Or, at least a few, as it seems the majority of Madison C-3 students think that pumpkin spice flavoring is a bit overrated according to 52.5% of voters. Maybe we should have gone for the latte since we all were certainly tired this fall. 

Sleeping in was the most common fall activity with 24.6% of the vote. Once Thanksgiving is in the works, we’re ready to dine down on dessert. According to Madison, Pumpkin Pie is the school's favorite with 22% of the vote. 

Purple and Gold Night had an amazing turnout this year! The Booster Club event honored our Junior High teams as their season ended with a win against Keytesville. Our Junior High cheerleaders got the crowd hyped up to introduce the teams. 

We then moved on to the Chuck the Duck event which was a great way to involve our crowd in Purple and Gold Night. Our Booster Club provided a variety of prizes which were scattered around the gym floor.  Crowd members were able to purchase a rubber duck that they then chucked at a desired prize. The goal was to get close and hopefully hit a desired prize with their rubber duck. This event was great fun for both children and adults alike.

 Moving forward with the evening events, our High School teams were introduced starting with our Cheerleaders. Even with our Junior High cheerleaders broadcasting their spirit across the gym, our high school cheer squad showed maturity with their performance by hyping up the crowd as well. Afterward, our varsity girls' basketball team did something that piqued the interest of the crowd which was signing autographs. Lots of people from the crowd came down to get autographs from the players which had a lot of engagement. 

Next, the varsity boys performed for the crowd by playing a scrimmage against each other. The two Panther teams wore their home and away jerseys to make it like an actual game. On the Purple team were Lajen McIntire, Carson Chick, Ethan Million, Toby Wolfe, Mason Million, and Devyn Andrade. On the White team were Jake Jackson, Michael Winn, Brady Bollman, Jacob Fish, and Connor Chick. The White team ended up taking the Victory 9-8 and it was a crowd-pleaser to everyone who was in attendance. 

Finally, to cap things off, we had an auction for fundraising. Each of the boys' team had something to auction off as well as other items provided by donations. Our girls also auctioned off desserts and treats that they had made which was a perfect ending to the evening.

The National Honor Society (NHS) is a student organization that chooses members based on grades, attendance, and citizenship. This means that in addition to good grades and attendance, students must exhibit good behavior in and around school. New members were sworn in during the special induction ceremony on Wednesday, November 13th.  During the formal ceremony, officers completed the symbolic presentation of reciting the organization's four core values which were then represented by the lighting of a candle. Current members and new inductees each lit a candle in recognition of their school, the National NHS Council. and their commitment to the organization's core values. 

With the new inductees, there are 19 student members of the Madison C-3 NHS chapter, including 10 new members inducted this year. Ms. Ehrett, NHS advisor, plans all of the meetings and organizes all of the activities. One of the activities that members look forward to is adopting a family. Each year, around Christmas time the Madison C-3 NHS chapter adopts a family. Students purchase and bring in select gifts and food for the family to enjoy over the holiday. This small act brings joy to a family during difficult financial times. 

2024 - 2025 Madison C-3 NHS 

                                                 President: Abigail Painter

                                           Vice President: Alexander Harrison

                                                   Secretary: Avery Carr 

                                                 Treasurer: Jacob Jackson

Seniors: 

                                                            Abby Dameron 

                                                            Kennedy Duff

                                                          Alexander Harrison

                                                             Abigail Painter

                                                            Annabelle Wolfe

Juniors: 

                                                               Avery Carr

                                                           Aspen Gordham

                                                            Raylee Griffith 

                                                             Jacob Jackson

 New Members

                                                            Brady Bollman 

                                                           Melena Bollman

                                                            Nautica Brucker

                                                               Sienna Brush

Lizzy Dameron  

        Isaac Gonzalez

                                                                Alex Lasley 

     Sophia Mayfield

                                                                       Ethan Million

 Tanner Wood

The Madison C-3 School Chapter of Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is kicking off the holiday season with a heartwarming initiative: their annual “Adopt-a-Family” program. This month, the chapter members focused their efforts on launching this year’s community service project, demonstrating their continued commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of others.

The "Adopt-a-Family" program aims to bring holiday cheer to local families in need by providing them with essential items and gifts. This year's program will involve partnering with our school’s counselor to identify families facing financial hardship. Each family will receive a "wish list" detailing their needs and wants for the holidays. FCCLA members will then "adopt" a family, purchasing items from the wish list. These gifts will be wrapped by the FCCLA members and delivered to the families, by Miss Hoffman, before Christmas.

Chapter President, Erika Bollman, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, "I remember getting these presents as a kid… I am glad I’m able to pay it forward". This initiative exemplifies the Madison FCCLA chapter's dedication to service of our community. The project serves as a valuable learning experience for members, providing opportunities to develop leadership skills, teamwork, and a deeper understanding of community needs.