Editor’s Note:  The winner, announced December 19, was Mrs. Kristen Gast’s door in Student Services.

This year, Notre Dame Academy held its third annual Door Decorating contest, and students had the opportunity to vote on the winners.

A Google form was sent out after the morning announcements on Monday, December 12, and was open until 3:30 p.m, during which time students had the opportunity to vote on the doors they liked the best.

Students’ voting is based on creativity and completion, and the prizes for winning are a basket of treats to be shared with the advisory or team of choice and a makeshift trophy that will be passed to the door that wins each year.

“This is the third year, with a break in the middle due to Covid, that the Social Committee has sponsored this contest,” said Mrs. Katie Bialk, who is spearheading the competition.

She added that students are highly encouraged to visit the doors in person, as some intricacies may not be captured in the Google form, and one department was handing out treats at their door on Monday.

Bialk says that this contest is designed to copy a similar experience she had while she was a teacher in Hawaii, where teachers would dress up their doors with winter wonderland themes. 

“The kids absolutely loved to see what people came up with, especially since a lot of them never experienced that type of Christmas,” Bialk shared. “The excitement and good-natured competition was so fun that I really wanted to replicate that here.”

Bialk says that one of her perennial favorites in the contest is the Student Services Department, which always does a themed hallway and did the theme of Mischievous Elves last year.

“I also liked a few years back when the main office had a real deer head,” she said. “As for this year, Ms. Rockwood’s Grinch-themed art skills are beyond impressive.”

The holiday Door Decorating Contest was strategically placed around finals, as stress levels around this time tend to be high.

“We can all use a little fun right about now,” Bialk shared.