PUBLISHED BY: THE NEWSLETTER CLUB DECEMBER 20, 2020 Guam Adventist Academy School Newsletter

Home & School Zoom Meeting December 29

Classes Resume/ NHS/NJHS Happy Holidays!!! Applications Due . It is the beautiful time of year where we celebrate the greatest gift ever given— (online) Christ. “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given…And His name will be called January 4: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” Isaiah 9:6. Jesus left Possibly in person! the light of heaven and came to lay in a straw manger in the darkness of sinful earth. “In heaven, he was surrounded by holy ; but now his companions are the beasts of the stall. What humiliation is this! Wonder, O Heavens! And be astonished, O earth!” (White, The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 2). Let us not forget to pass along the news and joy of this gift during the holiday season with others who may not know. Our hope at GAA is that these holidays are special by drawing you closer to God, family, and friends. Merry Christmas!

Upper School 1 2 4 Spiritual Retreat January 15-17 HAPPY MESSAGE FROM THE SA CHRISTMAS FOR MAP Testing in HOLIDAYS! PRINCIPAL FRONTLINERS person w/your device Ms. Johanna Emerson Mrs. Bertha Saladier Ms. Maja Tkalec January 25-29

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Principal’s Corner

December 20, 2020

Awaiting for the LORD Jesus to Come! Long ago the Shepherds watching sheep on the hills of shared their heart’s desire for the Redeemer to come. Just like the shepherds, we are also desiring our Lord to come. It has been a very challenging year with the many changes we have had to endure. I know there are better days ahead for the plans of God are for our good. He is our hope and our salvation. “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14. Let us spread the news of God’s love and peace like His angels proclaimed to the shepherds during this celebrated season of Christmas. They needed God’s love and assurance during their time as we do now. His love and peace is for us all. He will give us peace as we await His promised return soon. Many many thanks to all who participated in the Christmas Program “One Starry Night”. Thank you, Mrs. Oh, and your team for such a wonderful production. We celebrate the Joy of this season and share his love. GAA Angels spread the JOY of His LOVE with your family and friends. We are looking forward to the new year 2021 and schools opening up soon. Preparations are being made and we will inform you all when this will be. The CARS score has been holding steady below 5 and that is good. Praise the Lord! Please continue to pray for our students, teachers, and staff as we look forward to good things happening in 2021. If you should have questions or concerns please attend the upcoming Home and School Meeting on Tuesday, December 29 online. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021 TO COME!!! God’s grace be with you all and keep you safe in His love. “‘Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’” Matthew 1:23. God be with you! Si Yu'us Ma’asi!!

Mrs. Bertha Saladier, GAA Principal

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GAA Christmas Program

Author: Maja Tkalec

What is the first thing you think of when someone says, “Christmas?” Maybe you think of a big, jolly man with a full white beard, wearing a red suit, or maybe you think of flying reindeer, or presents stacked under the tree. That seems to be what people associate with Christmas most often these days. But those are just stories. Legends and traditions. But there’s something else that’s not a legend or a tradition. The birth of Jesus Christ, the real meaning of Christmas. He’s the reason we even have anything to celebrate at all. And he’s the reason we can have the greatest gift of all, everlasting life with him in heaven. So, as we give gifts to one another this Christmas season, let’s remember the greatest gift giver the world has ever known, and the greatest gift ever given to mankind.

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SA Christmas for the Frontliners

Our Student Association decided that it was time to give back frontline heroes serving our island; and since it is the holiday season, what’s better than giving out Christmas presents! Of course, we couldn’t do it on our own. Every single grade contributed in donating goods and items, ranging from hot cocoa packets and candy canes to big bottles of hand sanitizer and scented soaps. Every student also had to write cards for either our medical workers, police officers, and/or firefights. All S.A. officers, our S.A. advisor/principal, and 2 other students (Thirsa and Argell) met at the school library on December 13 to assemble these Christmas boxes.

I have to admit that we were all not expecting so many items; in fact, we needed to change up our original plan of making five boxes to making ten boxes! While wrapping up the boxes, our S.A. social vice (Tasi) was just expressing how heartwarming it was to see the progress we were making. I think we all felt a sense of comfort while making these presents because we all have so much gratitude for the people fighting to make our island of Guam a safe place, a home. In the end, we had made over 10 Christmas boxes and about 5 baskets. Some of the school staff members delivered these gifts to 5 different locations—Guam Regional Medical Center, Nabal Hospital Health Care, Agat Police Southern Precinct, Guam Memorial Hospital, and Talofofo Fire Station. Everyone who received the gifts were grateful!

On behalf of the S.A., we want to thank everyone who contributed in helping with our Holiday Community Service. To our students, you all are such a blessing for donating so many items. It shows how much you care for the community, and this is exactly the kind of attitude we need during these times. To our staff, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to drop off the Christmas boxes, and also buying some goods. This year has been rough, but it’s the simple things like these that bring out the holiday smiles. Merry Christmas!!! -Hadassah Jano-Edward 4 GAA NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 20, 2020

Favorite Christmas Recipes

Buñelos Aga’ (Banana Donuts) Directions: 1. Pour some oil in a large frying pan; turn the heat to medium to preheat the oil. 2. Mix all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl. *If the batter is sticky, you can add more flour. * Adding too much flour will make them rubbery. 3. When oil is hot, drop the batter by Ingredients: spoonful into the oil, turning frequently. • 2 cups mashed ripe bananas 4. Deep fry over medium heat. Keep your • 4 tablespoons of sugar stove settings on medium heat. If the oil is too hot, it will burn on the outside before • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract the inside cooks. Cook until golden brown. • 1 cup flour 5. Serve with a side of maple syrup for dipping, or glaze all of the donuts with • 1 tablespoon baking powder maple syrup. (optional)

• Pinch of salt 6. Serve immediately and Enjoy!

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) * Buñelos Aga’ is one of many favorite local • Vegetable oil for frying Chamorro desserts that me and my family enjoy. It is amazingly delicious and we • Maple syrup for dipped donuts absolutely love it!!! -Sydney Diaz

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Favorite Christmas Recipes

onions and celery in small pieces. If your parmesan Family Recipe

Happy holidays to all of you and merry cheese is not already shredded, use a sharp grater to grate

Christmas! The Christmas holiday is a time where family your parmesan so that you can mix it thoroughly in the members can come together especially in the kitchen. I casserole. Get a baking container and add your rice, will be sharing my family’s recipe of wild rice casserole. cream of mushroom, celery, mushrooms, onion, and

First of all, you will need the following ingredients: wild parmesan cheese. Season liberally with salt and pepper rice, a can of cream of mushroom, celery, one packet of and do not forget to add the butter and packet of cream cream cheese, fresh mushrooms, one onion, parmesan cheese; this gives the casserole a nice creamy and glossy cheese, butter, salt and pepper. Depending on the size of texture. Mix the casserole until the ingredients are evenly your family, I would recommend buying four boxes of dispersed and bake in an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit wild rice, one bag of celery, one pound of mushrooms, for twenty to twenty-five minutes. After all that work and one medium-sized onion. This recipe has no specific that should be it! Your wild rice casserole is ready to instructions and measurements allowing you to make this serve. Please enjoy it because I know that my family has casserole however you want. Be sure to boil the rice until enjoyed this recipe in the past. The last time that we it is tender and cut your mushrooms, made this recipe was seven years ago.

-Joash Jano-Edward

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Favorite Christmas Recipes

• Lemon powder 1 Tbsp or to taste

Golai Hågun Suni (Spinach w/ • (optional) 1 tsp Hot pepper, chopped

Coconut Milk) Directions:

1. Defrost spinach.

2. Squeeze out as much water as possible from the spinach.

3. Chop the onions & garlic.

4. Saute the onions & garlic in a pot over low heat until they are soft. Add 2 Tbsp water or more as needed to

Ingredients: prevent burning. • 1 large chopped or sliced frozen

spinach block (Large block that can be 5. Add the squeezed spinach. found at Cost U Less) (Convenient substitute for taro leaves) 6. Add the coconut milk & all other ingredients, then stir. • 1 large onion (white or yellow) 7. Add more lemon powder, sea salt, or hot pepper to taste, as needed. • 2-3 Tbsp garlic; fresh or chopped

• 2 Tbsp turmeric; fresh or ground 8. Cook until heated through. Do not allow it to boil because the coconut milk will separate. • Sea salt 1 ½ Tbsp or to taste

• 4-5 cans of Coconut Milk -Tasi Sgambelluri

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Christmas Memories

Here are some Christmas memories from the 7th and 8th grade Language Arts classes.

My favorite Christmas memory was when my family hosted a party at our house. This was a My favorite Christmas memory was one year few years ago. We played a bunch of games like ago. My sister was going to Palau with her White Elephant, Bible Trivia, and some others. friends and I really wanted to go, but I was too It was very fun. We were able to enjoy time young. On Christmas day, my parents gave me a with others socializing. It was my favorite bed roll, and I was really confused because I because we got to enjoy people before this had a bed and I did not need that. They gave pandemic started. -Jasmine Lee me hints of what my present was. In an envelope they put a ticket, and at first I was My favorite Christmas memory is opening confused, but then I realized that it was for a presents with family. It love the fact that every flight. I was so happy that I could go to Palau. year we would either have Christmas with my That was the best Christmas memory for me. mom’s family or my dad’s. It was fun to see -Camellia Storey what other people got for presents too. And we also had a good meal after. We also would do Every Christmas is almost the same to me. But look at which is a close second one of my favorite I spent was the favorite memory. -Zayin Lloyd Christmas of 2018. That year was special to me because my family from California had started One of my favorite Christmas memories is when living with us and this was our first Christmas we had a party. We had dinner together. I loved spending time with them. They together with our friends at our house. Then, were my cousins and aunt whom I had met. we got to decorating our houses, but some of us When they started to live with us, it was fun. decorated Christmas trees. It was so fun talking On that Christmas day we invited family and and decorating our gingerbread houses or trees. we did what we usually do every Christmas; we At the end of the party, we had a White ate, we celebrated, and we exchanged our gifts Elephant gift exchange. Although there were for each other. That Christmas was one of my not enough presents for me to participate, it favorites because what matters to me, when I was still fun to watch. It was very fun to have spend Christmas, is who I spend it with, and our friends over for a merry, merry Christmas. that's my loved ones. -Sky Pareja -Wyatt Oh

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JANUARY BIRTHDAYS “Guam Adventist Academy wishes you a very happy birthday and many more happy years to come! May God bless you!”

Lower School Porter, Abigail- January 1st Jordan, Samantha - January 4th Lujan, Vanessa - January 8th Tkalec, Danilo - January 11th Inesiupwe, Erisha - January 14th

Upper School Sgambelluri, Tasi- January 6th Losongco, Ellin - January 21st

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