Maranatha Students Get Creative at Christmas!

For over 12 years, the Maranatha High School Art Club, sponsored by Art Department Chair Diane Barnhart, has been spreading Christmas cheer with a creative event in which the whole school can participate. The Annual Gingerbread Contest, with over 100 participants this year, has become an much-anticipated tradition at Maranatha each December. Ms. Barnhart first started the contest at a Christmas party for her AP students twenty years ago. The interest grew and after several, the Art Club decided to make it a school-wide event.

“We do it because it is a fun, creative, and sweet way to usher in the Christmas season,” says Ms. Barnhart. “We believe that creativity – even when using graham crackers and frosting – honors God as we use the creativity He has gifted us with.” She also noted that opening the event up to the entire school community is a great venue for students from many different friend circles to come together.

Each year Ms. Barnhart chooses a theme that not even her Art Club students are privy to. Last year’s theme was “All Creatures Great and Small”, and the teams created a variety of animals. This year it was “Building Santa a New Ride So He Could Give His Sleigh and Tired Reindeer a Break”. Students constructed everything from submarines to racecars, with the winning team of students applauded for their hot air balloon.

Maranatha High School, 169 S. St. John Avenue, Pasadena, (626) 817-4000 or visit www.maranatha-hs.org.