This year, teachers came together to form the Staff Spirit Squad to come up with fun ways to show teacher spirit and make money for charity bash, including an upcoming cook off.

So far, the Staff Spirit Squad performed skits such as the Oompa Loompa dance number at the Homecoming assembly this past year. The next event the Staff Spirit Squad has planned is a teacher chili cook off that students possibly could help judge, law permitting.

“The event is tentatively planned for November 21 during all lunch hours, but we’re kind of on hold,” Leah Enright, spanish teacher and Staff Spirit Squad member, said. “As to if it’s going to be official or not, we ran into a little problem. A conversation had to be had because there’s actually a federal law that says no other food could be sold during lunch hours. Even though we’re not selling it, the idea was to have donations. We would have a table or two and students would come up, pay a dollar, sample all of the chilis, and cast their vote. Possibly, the winner would have another cook off to decide who’s the supreme winner, but that’s all in the event that this is approved. We have faculty signed up and all ready to go, but because of that law there’s a fine line, and we’re trying to figure out what’s legal and not. Mr. Nightlinger is going to make that decision and as soon as he makes that decision, he’ll let me know and I can let the faculty know.”

If it turns out the event cannot go on as planned, Enright and the rest of the Staff Spirit Squad have a backup plan.

“In the past, we’ve done a chili cook off with just the faculty instead of in the cafeteria,” Enright said. “We would have it in the teacher cafeteria, and teachers would come in and sample and donate. In the past, it was just for fun. Now, we have the idea to make it a charitable donation, so we’ll keep up with the plan and do it regardless. It’s just if we include the students, which was our primary goal, or just the faculty.”

Either way, in addition to cooking the chili, the chefs will write down ingredients used in their recipes so people with allergies can stay clear. Another goal of Enright’s is for each chef to write down the recipe so students and faculty that enjoy the chili can attempt to make it at home.

Enright also hopes her original plan for the students to participate in the chili cook off pull through. If not, she fears what this could mean for additional events in the future.

“Whatever the verdict, is we will abide by it because we’re dealing with laws here,” Enright said. “But, I also think it’ll affect what you can do during charity bash. It’s all for charity, so any money that we raise will go to charity bash. We have some teachers that make awesome chili, but it’s just the matter of you have to follow the law. When you’re serving homemade food there’s always allergy food and concerns in general, so that’s why the chili will be labeled.”

Regardless if the cook off goes as planned or not, the Staff Spirit Squad, consisting of 51 teachers from all departments, has more events in store.

“I have lots of crazy ideas in my head all the time,” Enright said. “We have some ideas for holiday things, and we have some surprise ideas for around finals for the students because it’s all about the students. It’s not about teachers getting together and going out or stuff like that. We have some ideas through finals, and then we’ll sit down and come up with some new plans. We just want to make it safe and fun events for everyone.”