Written by Newspaper Staff Reporter Avery Myers

On November 16th and 17th, Allatoona hosted a Thankfulness challenge during lunch. It was organized by Sources of Strength and prompted students to evaluate what they had to be thankful for in life. Each student came up to the tables and traced their hand, trying to make it resemble a turkey, and then wrote at least one thing for which they were grateful. Afterward, the students were awarded a piece of candy. Mrs. Morgan, one of the teacher leaders for Sources of Strength, reports that the goal of the challenge was to "just get kids to stop for a minute, breathe, and think about what they're thankful for. I really feel like it was a good excuse for them to slow down. Yes, they got a piece of candy, but I really enjoyed seeing them take a minute and really put thought into what they were thankful for." Sources of Strength also created a raffle for those that participated, with the winner being announced on Friday. Students had to repost a Gratitude and Generosity pledge that urged them to be grateful and generous this Thanksgiving. Mrs. Morgan believes that gratitude is very important because it "helps to remind you of just how blessed we are. Especially right now, with life being so busy because of the holiday season, we tend to get caught up in ourselves and our To-Do lists and final exams and grades. I think it just helps ground us." Many students took part in this challenge, and the resulting posters were hung around the Grand Staircase's banister. Next time you walk by the staircase, reflect on what you are thankful for. Take time to slow down and remember the importance of being grateful.