After a two-week holiday break spent with family and friends, avoiding the worries of school, students came back refreshed and ready to learn. The year’s first hint of  snow, however, lingered in the forecast. With only five days back inside the halls of Midlothian High, students and faculty alike rested their hopes on snow that might stay long enough for a snow day. Luckily enough, the snow began to fall on Saturday the 7th and kept schools closed until the following Wednesday. With this second mini winter break, students spent their days sipping hot chocolate, catching up on sleep and homework, and participating in a favorite winter activity: sledding!

Students went to bed on Friday night dreaming of snowflakes falling from the sky. Much to their surprise when they awoke the next morning, a blanket of white covered their backyards. Sophomore Devon Patrick said, “When I first saw the snow, the first thing that popped into my head was: I hope there’s no school!” The snow began in the overnight hours and didn’t subside until late Saturday afternoon. With a total of six to eight inches of snow on the ground and roads, students soon realized that a snow break could be in their future.

To kick off the first round of sledding, friends Aaron Hou, Peyton Neff, Regan Sabine, Bella Urcia, Olivia Harriman, and Ivan Jackson hit the giant hills the Grove has to offer after the sun went down. Hou and Harriman practiced their snowboarding skills, while their friends sledded.  “My favorite part about night sledding was the contagious laughter between me and my friends,” says junior Olivia Harriman. Sophomore Megan Wunderlich enjoyed her snow days alongside her friends sledding down the hills in Rosemont. “My favorite part of the snow break was having a few days off from school to relax;” says Wunderlich, “I had a lot of fun sledding with my friends.”

As the snow started to melt, students geared up for their return to school. This early January snow storm gave students an extension of winter break. Junior BJ Beckwith spent his three-day break sledding and enjoying time with his friends and family, “This was the perfect mini break that we all needed to relax and hang out in the snow,” says Beckwith. The snow break was a big hit among students and faculty alike, giving them a chance to rest and unwind. For the rest of the winter season, students will continue to hope and pray for extra snow days.