During every Christmas season, Santaluces’s AICE and AP U.S. History teacher, Ms.Mangone, hangs historically themed ornaments for her Christmas tree in her classroom. This provides 10-20 points of extra credit on students’ lowest test grade to boost their final grade.

Accelerated courses are very rigorous so Ms.Mangone started this to help students express themselves artistically while also getting them in the holiday spirit. The ornaments need to be handmade and US history-related, pushing students to think creatively.

Although Ms.Mangone enjoys all of the ornaments she receives, some of her favorites include, “a hand-sewn pillow that represented the Boston Tea Party, a sea star painting to look like Abraham Lincoln, or ones that show events like the lunar landing.” This year she loved an ornament that is molded from clay to show a ham with Alexander Hamilton’s face on it.

None of these ornaments go to waste as she has two boxes filled of them that continue to get hung up every year. So if you ever have Ms.Mangone, be sure to participate in this advantageous opportunity and check out all of the creative ornaments students have made over the years!