Palmer Junior Middle School celebrates with annual Christmas Feast

PALMER — About 575 students and 70 staff members all ate together inside the Palmer Junior Middle School cafeteria for the school’s annual Christmas Feast event on Wednesday.

They feasted on classic Christmas dishes like roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, dozens of pies, cupcakes and other treats while classic holiday songs rang through the air.

“Everybody eats together today,” Home Economics teacher Ellen Long said, as she was cutting up the last turkeys upstairs in her classroom with her husband Neil.

Ellen said that she and her husband arrived at the school around 5:15 a.m. to prepare 10 turkeys, and 60 apple pies that her students made from scratch in her family and consumer sciences class.

“Most of the kids hadn’t made pies before,” Neil said.

Ellen said family and consumer science is what had been known as home economics, re-branded to help avoid the female concentration for the subject matter.

“It’s just as much for the guys as it is for the girls,” Ellen said.

Ellen said she started teaching in the district in 1993. Neil said that she’s tried to retire four times but keeps coming back.

“The kids, they bring me back,” Ellen said.

Ellen said that PJMS staff asked her to teach home economics and she agreed.

PJMS principal Brad Allen said the school was looking to expand its existing home economic program and thanks to Ellen, it has. Instead of only part of the year the course is now offered year-round.

“She’s really moving it along. We’re so happy to have her here,” Allen said.

Ellen said one of the main motivators to bring her back to the classroom this time around was to instill life skills in the next generation. She said her mission is to show her students the value of learning proper nutrition, cook their own meals, mend their own clothing as well as other practical tools that will help them as adults.

“Teaching the kids life skills, it’s important beyond measure,” Ellen said.

Assistant principal Ryan Geagel was one of several staff members helping to serve food in the cafeteria. He said that he was happy to break the normal routine of studies and have fun and eat together under the same roof.

“You get to spread holiday cheer man. What’s better than that?” Geagel said.

Former PJMS principal Gene Stone started this annual holiday tradition more than 10 years ago, Allen said. He said this event was more out in the open but reflected staff and community members’ ongoing efforts to help students and families in need behind the scenes. He said that some of these students may not have the same holiday luxuries as others to this is one of many ways to include give them a feeling of connection. He said that one of his favorite aspects of the holiday season is seeing a steady wave of generosity all around.

“It just seems like there’s more positivity with people despite all this darkness,” Allen said.

Ellen shared Allen’s sentiment and was very pleased by the outpour of support not just from inside the building but from beyond their walls. She said several staff members donated turkeys and assorted members of the community donated assorted deserts for the feast.

“It builds a bond between the kids, the staff and the community,” Ellen said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com