It’s a great time to be a Bobcat

This past month was a busy but exciting month at Garrett Junior High School, and our campus is so full of energy for the holiday season.

From performances to competitions and service projects to sports, our Bobcats have been showing what makes Garrett such a great place to work and learn. Our performing arts programs opened this special season with two extraordinary winter concerts. Each choir sang with precision and beauty and even the audience joined in during a combined piece of Silent Night.

It was a heartwarming moment that reminded us of why our community is such a special place. Later in the week, our band students put on their best performance to date, and even the beginning band musicians performed solos. Our amazing music teachers, Ms. Hallam and Ms. Toal, found the way to build our students’ confidence in the classroom and on stage.

Basketball season kicked off last week, and our Lady Bobcats and Bobcat Boys opened their preseason with wins and a strong showing on the court. The gym has been full of spirit and energy, and it’s clear that our athletes are proud to represent their school. Coaches Servantes, Medina, Pickett, Huntsman, and Hill have done a great job preparing the teams for a full season ahead. In addition, every basketball game would not be complete without our fun and spirited Bobcat cheer team. The cheer team shows up for every game ready to encourage and perform, and they make every game more exciting to watch!

Last Saturday, our Bionic Bobcats Robotics Team took honors at the Greenspun VEX competition. They took third place overall, second place in driving skills, and brought home the VEX IQ Design Award, given to the one team who had the ability to demonstrate an effective and organized engineering design process. The award is based primarily on the team’s engineering notebook and the interview with the judges. They qualified for state in March.

Robotics is just one of the many ways Garrett continues to grow as a Governor’s Designated STEAM school. We’re also gearing up for our school-wide STEAM Day next week, where students will dive into hands-on exploration, while taking part in special projects and activities focused on the design and engineering process. It is always a fun way to end the semester.

Our Bobcat Student Council members have been an example of living the leadership habits. They spent a full day at the Mid-Level Conference synergizing and learning creative ways to strengthen student leadership on our campus. This group goes above and beyond to build a culture focused on community and connectedness. Every Friday, they bring games and music to the courtyard, encouraging staff and students to start the day playing and laughing together. Together with the NJHS, they surprised every teacher with their favorite Starbucks drink, complete with a personalized sign on each classroom door. Under the proactive leadership of our Student Body President, Chase Pusko, our student council continues to set the tone for what it means to lead at Garrett.

Community service has also been front and center. Our Toys for Tots Drive sponsored by STUCO, brought in close to 300 toys this year, and students loved the friendly competition between first-period classes. Moments like this remind us how giving our students and families are. Garrett JHS is a place where students are encouraged to try new things and make each moment better than the last. As I always say, it’s a great day to be a Bobcat!