By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Thanksgiving came a bit early for students in Karen White's second-grade class at Brandywine's Merritt Elementary.
The students celebrated the holiday by making Pilgrim hats and collars and Native American headbands and necklaces, wrote recipes on how to bake a turkey, sang songs and had a turkey dinner.
The class made homemade applesauce, butter and corn muffins for its Thanksgiving feast, White said. Room volunteers and parents helped to make the turkey, pie and other meal fixings.
Before sitting down at their table with its hand-painted tablecloth, which the students decorated with different Thanksgiving scenes, the students shared with one another things for which they are thankful.
The students gave thanks for a variety of things, including their teacher, pets, school, their toys and their family. A few of them said they were thankful for everything they had.
Classmate Kodi Kelly told of how it took the Pilgrims 66 days to sail across the ocean on the Mayflower before getting to America.
Students said they are looking forward to the holiday as it gives them time off from school, they get to eat good food and spend time with their families.