By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Things have been heating up this week in Marty Oleson's cooking class at Southside School.
Students have been busy learning all the steps to making some delicious Christmas cookies. On Tuesday, students learned how to make the cookie dough. On Wednesday, they rolled dough and made shapes with cookie cutters before popping them in the oven to bake. Today, students frosted and decorated the cookies, which will be distributed to whomever they wish.
"It's necessary to have the kids make and create gifts and understand that the holiday season is about giving," Oleson said.
Students were also able to decorate Chinese take-out boxes, which will be filled with the cookies.
For Austin Willis, Adam Wurster and Christopher Colotti, this was their first experience making Christmas cookies.
"It's really a lot of fun and easier than I thought. And we get to give them out to our families for Christmas," Wurster said.
"My favorite part will be decorating the cookies with frosting and sprinkles," Willis said.
"I'm just rolling out the dough. It gets tough at some points, but I think they will turn out really good," Colotti added.
Richard Jordan skipped the cookie cutting for a bit to finish his take-out box.
"I put a big Christmas tree on one side and I want to add some decorations to it," he said.
The cookie decorating was also a chance for the younger students to work with older students, as two classrooms were brought together for the assignment.
"This is the Pre-Vocational class and the Emotionally Impaired Program. The kids all know each other, but they do not get to interact a lot. This class allows them to do that and learn what it means to work together, especially when flour is flying," Oleson added.
Students in the entire school have also been busy preparing for Christmas with a door decorating contest. Students have the chance to decorate classroom doors with holiday cheer. Doors will be judged on Monday.
Also, the annual Christmas play will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 19. Oleson said students have been hard at work on the play.