Student Central
Editor: Darrah Dickinson
Senior Spotlight
Daniela Salas
Daniela Salas is a well accomplished, hard-working senior here in Mount Vernon. Daniela is involved in many school extracurriculars such as FBLA, FFA, and Spanish Club. She is also an executive for NHS (National Honor Society). Just recently, she helped out with the Food Pantry that NHS hosted.
Not only is she very driven in school, she also has a heart of gold. Currently, Daniela works at The Community of Autumn Court as a certified medical aide. She helps senior citizens that reside there.
Pertaining to her upcoming future, Daniela recently got accepted into Drury University in Monett. Her plans are to pursue a degree in business administration. Everyone here at the Green & White wishes her a dazzling near future!
Haleigh Hunt
Haleigh Hunt is a new-comer but quickly learned her way around. She adapted to MVHS swiftly and immediately got work. She was warmly welcomed by her partner, Emily Horrell, and friends.
Previously, Haleigh did Scholars Bowl for two years and Math League for three years. She’s a hardworking student who’s currently taking Calculus and Ceramics classes.
Haleigh also works service at McDonald’s. She does drive-thru and takes orders at the counter. Keep an eye out for her friendly face next time you want a cheeseburger!
Regarding her future ambitions, Haleigh plans to go to MSSU, get an English/education degree, and become a teacher. Everyone here at the Green & White wishes Haleigh the best and brightest future!
Payton West
Payton West is a well-known and hard working senior here at MVHS. He is involved with everything in school. His main priorities are currently football and Student Council. He is also the president of the Senior Class!
In the forthcoming future, Payton plans to go to a nearby college to study conservation and wildlife management and hopefully become a state trooper. Everyone at Green & White wishes him well on his journey after graduation!
Best Holiday Movies
Christmas with the Kranks (PG)
Christmas with the Kranks is a goofy, feel good movie for the whole family to enjoy. There's something for everyone in this gem. Jamie Lee Curtis gives a wonderful performance alongside Tim Allen as Luther and Nora Krank.
The Kranks are finally alone for the holidays and plan to skip the bells and holly to go straight to a Caribbean cruise. However, their plans are quickly intercepted by their Christmas loving neighbors, who are not happy with their plans to depart for the jolly season.
Full of physical humor, sarcastic jokes, and some of the most interesting Christmas decor ever seen on screen, the Kranks are sure to get you feeling holly and jolly this holiday season.
Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (PG)
Home Alone is obviously a Christmastime classic but its sequel, Lost In New York, is often left in the dust. True to the Home Alone trademark, Kevin is once again lost in the kerfuffle of travel traffic and ends up on the wrong plane. While his family is in Florida, Kevin is living it up in The Big Apple.
Kevin manages to run into the wet bandits yet again and the boobie traps ensue. It has the same Macgyver meets Hoodwinked! feel that the original gives but with the beautiful scenery of New York City, and a seemingly random cameo from Donald Trump.
If you love the 90s and also Macaulay Culkin, this is the movie for you. It isn’t overly Christmas-y or anything of the sort, it is more of a soft launch to the Holidays. Besides, you can’t help but love nostalgic movies like this that remind us of Christmas in our younger years! It brings back a little bit of that holiday magic.
The Grinch (2018) (PG)
Yes, the animated version. The 2018 animated version of Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch is one of the best movies to watch when you’re being a bit of a Scrooge.
It remains true to the original plot, but adds a bit of flair to the appearance and some brighter colors. Benedict Cumberbatch does a wonderful job portraying Grinch. He is still cranky and not in the mood for the season; he becomes a little softer after he realizes what Christmas is all about with the help of Cindy Lou.
This may not be a movie everybody has seen and loved, it really should be though. It is witty, well animated, and packed with great voice actors. This is definitely one to give a shot if you haven’t before. It really gets you in the spirit, even if you’re more of a Grinch than a Cindy Lou Who.
The Holiday (PG-13)
This one is for the romcom lovers out there. Now, is it technically a Christmas movie? No. However, it was released in December of 2006 and it has holiday in the name so an exception is being made for the romantic comedy community.
In this cutesy romcom, two strong female leads swap homes, one from California and one from the English countryside. Each lady finds their own local hunk and the romance and comedy ensues from there. This is the perfect chilly night in with your besties or your very own Jude Law (or Jack Black, to each their own). It is cheesy and very early 2000’s. There is something for everyone with this. There’s British accents, Jude Law, romance, comedy. It is all a win-win situation.
Though it isn’t a traditional Christmas movie, some people need a little romance to get into the Christmas spirit. This is definitely worth putting on your watch list this holiday season.
MVHS gains some helpful tips on holiday budgeting
The time has arrived. The autumnal beauty of nature has dwindled into the spareness of frigid winter and the countdown to Christmas has begun. With the passing wallet-draining chaos of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the ending week of November has left many, potentially even students and staff here at MVHS, with an impacted bank account. It’s no secret that the gift-giving season comes with a hefty price tag. Luckily, there are ways to prevent the prime time of candy canes and cocoa from breaking your bank.
To help give advice on the beauty of seasonal holiday budgeting, Mrs. Farmer, a teacher here at MVHS, generously gifts her knowledge about protecting your pockets. After all, Mrs. Farmer believes that "budgeting is always important as part of a healthy money management plan."
Plan ahead
Similarly to the passion for counting down the days till Christmas Day, Farmer believes that spending the time to plan day-by-day till gift buying is essential in keeping your wallet wealthy. "Christmas rolls around every December 25. By setting aside just a few dollars every week or month throughout the year, you can accumulate quite a bit of money for your holiday shopping." During gift-buying prep the threat of procrastination might be the real Grinch of the season. It’s best that you prepare for the overload of extra spending early than be left having to tap into your rainy-day funds. Take the time to create a small budget; this will be your key to a prosperous and successful holiday season.
Organize your spending
When asked about how students could limit their own outside spending during the holidays, Mrs. Farmer states that "students might want to consider making a list of everyone they want to gift as well as a per-person dollar amount." By taking the time to carefully pinpoint where your gift-buying budget will go, it can help influence the extra money you will have to spend on yourself. Farmer adds that this sense of organization "helps provide guardrails for our spending."
Consider clearance
Though many online shopping sites and in-person shopping locations offer an abundance of sales throughout the arrival of Christmas, sometimes a BOGO sale or an extra 10% off might still not be enough. In these moments of extra stress, a simple step into the clearance section might be the perfect antidote. Mrs. Farmer states that “shopping clearance racks throughout the year will help avoid last-minute panic shopping when we have a tendency to pick up anything at whatever the cost just to have a gift for someone.” Though some might find the clearance section to be a last resort, it truthfully is available at any time. It’s a great way to save money while still being able to buy as many gifts as you please.
The best gifts are homemade
When gift planning, it’s crucial to remember that sometimes the best gifts don’t have to come with a barcode and a receipt, they can simply come from the craftiness of your heart. A homemade gift can be a cheaper and much more sentimental option when some might be tight with their budget. Whether it’s a sewing project or an art piece, taking the time to be extra creative could hold valuable potential. Mrs. Farmer even brings up the idea of making homemade coupons. “Homemade coupons for cleaning the garage, washing the car or windows, preparing dinner, or doing the laundry for a week are always a hit with family members.” Ultimately, when deciding on gifts it’s important to remember that some of the best are made with love!
Overall, though gift-giving can be stressful, by using a few of these tips stress can be limited. Using the careful practice of organization methods, looking for lower price tags, or even becoming crafty on your own, the season of the holidays can be both cheery and bright!