DIXON, CA (MPG) - Maine Prairie High School Principal Yvette Ramos was spooning a delicious-looking stuffing out onto dozens of plates of roasted turkey for the annual school Thanksgiving dinner this past Friday where students, staff, and teachers would talk about reasons to be thankful.

“I’m thankful that we are back in school, that we have students who are thankful to be at school, teachers that are grateful, and parents who are grateful their kids are back at school,” she said. “It has been a tough year and they’re expecting a surge in COVID at least in the hospitals.” The administration worked with leadership students to move the luncheon to the end of the day and staff prepared the food including wonderful desserts.

Anthony Padilla, 17, a senior, came to Maine Prairie to get ahead on his credits with a goal of graduating early and took a moment to talk about his appreciation of the school.

“I wanted to get done early but as I attended, I saw that I liked this environment. It is so much more personal compared to Dixon High. Maine Prairie listens a lot better"'even the counselors. I am thankful to be here,” he said. He decided to spend the rest of the school year there although he had enough credits to graduate early. He also has all A’s but one and that is a B.

“I get to hang out with these people. It’s kind of like a little family,” he added. When he is not at school, he is working and wants to work more but that’s because he’s trying to save money for college. He has plans to attend the University of Silicon Valley Polytechnic Institute in San Jose and earn a BS in Game Art & Design. Principal Ramos proudly reports that Padilla has already been accepted there.

His family has had their share of troubles, he said, but his two brothers, one older, and one younger, are very close and it was a good choice to hold out to graduate because it gives him more time to hunt scholarships and save money. For now, he’s setting a great example to fellow students who are showing signs of adjusting back to school on campus.

“The honeymoon is over, the grind is back, and there are things that we have to teach,” said Ramos. “The teachers are expected to deliver instructions and my teachers are phenomenal"'considering the students were on their own for 13 months and maybe doing school from their bed or living room.”

The Thanksgiving dinner brought them together for a tasty meal before taking the week off.

“The students are doing great and they are so good about their masking. In Dixon we have good students and we’re going to get stronger,” said Ramos. In December, leadership students will do a food drive and donate to a food pantry.