Nov. 1 through Nov. 5 was homecoming week, and as a part of the festivities, classes had the chance to participate in the campus decorating contest. The contest gave teachers the option to decorate their classroom doors and hallways in accordance with the ‘Fabulous Lake Brantley’ theme. The awards ranged from doors that were the most creative to the doors that ‘at least tried’. 

In building five, co-teachers Kathryn Tomlinson and Stephanie Sully collaborated on their shared door and ultimately received the Classroom Comedian award for their VIP-like decorations. The award was given to the decorations that made the best efforts to keep campus morale high and give those who viewed it a laugh. 

“We wanted our seniors to be treated like VIPs for their last homecoming week at LBHS and get the ‘red carpet treatment’ they deserve,” put what subject they teach Sully said. “[We added a] VIP entrance, twinkle lights, streamers, red carpet [and] casino-themed decor”. 

Journalism and digital design teacher Katherine Turkelson’s door took home the Amazing Artist award for her classes’ door design. The door included movie posters where the stars were replaced with administrators, a cardboard slot machine and oversized dice made entirely by the students involved. 

“I really enjoyed decorating the door because I hadn’t done something like that before,” senior Grace Stoker said. “I thought it would be cool to put playing cards that we made of people around the green felt on the door, that way the door would look like an actual poker table with four pairs of cards around the table.”

The decoration contest was not only limited to decorating doors. There was also the Hall of Fame award up for grabs, which recognized who had the best-decorated hall, rather than simply one door. This prize was bestowed upon the downstairs hall in building 8 on the girls’ side, which was decorated to resemble the Circus Hotel and Casino to accompany the Las Vegas theme. 

“My students deserve all of the credit for the work,” Early Childhood Education teacher Britney Lacarte said. “They traced pictures, painted, cut things out, found creative ways to make the hallway decorations 3D by adding gift wrap rolls on the carousel and people literally swinging from the ceiling. Trying to decorate the hallway came with several challenges. We tried not to cover any sprinklers for the fire safety system… and I am short, so I had to recruit a few students over 6 feet tall to help hang things.”

At the end of the day, it is all about the fun and school spirit involved in decorating rather than the placings, although winning does come as an added bonus. 

“I am proud that we won,” Lacarte said. “My students worked very hard. I am glad that we produced something that so many students and staff enjoyed.”