With the holidays around the corner, all sorts of Santa Claus impersonators are coming to town.

While the virtues of Santa are not shared by every being on Earth, they show up in many LHS staff members.

“Santa and the LHS staff share the gift of being generous and caring,” counselor Lori Stussie said.

So one to two staff members in nearly every department picked who among their colleagues would be the best Santa Claus.

And the decisions are as follows:

• Photo teacher Angelia Perkins picked engineering and architecture teacher Charlie Lauts.
• Culinary and sewing teacher Shannon Wilson picked health teacher Don Durkin.
• Social studies teachers Valerie Schrag and Fran Bartlett picked fellow social studies teacher David Platt.
• Art teacher Wendy Vertacnik picked assistant choir director Randy Frye.
• English teachers Matthew Stiles and Shannon Carriger picked English teacher Jon Harrison.
• In the science department, Ann Foster picked Bill Kelly. Then, Kelly picked Wayne Long.
• Math teacher Matthew Ellis picked fellow math teacher Pam Fangohr.

Happiness is something the jolly man in red is always associated with. He is always smiling, always ho-ho-ho-ing. It is perhaps the most vital first step one can take to become Santa Claus.

The laugh is what prompted Perkins to select Lauts.

“”No matter what those kids are going to be giggling and laughing,” Perkins said. “No matter what they say they want for Christmas, she’s going to think it’s hilarious, and every kid is going to think they are the best thing on earth. So I think she would be happy and smiley and really excited enough to make the kids think Santa Claus is awesome, but she would have to get a fake beard.”

Santa Claus has represented giving since the Middle Ages, and there are many staff members who have come to show their gift of giving in their actions toward students and other staff.

“Best gift giver would be Pam Fangohr,” Ellis said. “She always knows when the math department needs a box of chocolates to share at lunch or donuts on a late start PLC morning. Her adopt-a-family classes always go above and beyond. She is always able to find a way to help out.”

More often than not, Santa Claus is seen as a large man, with a white beard, rosy cheeks and a happy-go-lucky attitude. He also has a list he checks twice, like teachers checking their grade books. So, who would be the most similar?

Schrag said it has to be Platt.

“Number one, he has the beard, even though it’s not white,” she said. “Number two, he has a very giving and caring spirit. He is constantly working with students before school, after school, during school, to help them succeed and often times those are students both in his classes, but also students who just see him as their champion.”