Hempfield townlively.com
JANUARY 10, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XXXIX • NO 40
Getting into the Chrismon spirit BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
Students utilize the Black Knight Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center at Hempfield High School, which was funded by a grant from the Hempfield Foundation in 2023.
HEM
30 years of elevating education
BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
S
ince 1993, the Hempfield Foundation has worked to support students and teachers alike by consistently providing a wide range of grants and scholarships. As it closes the chapter on 2023, the foundation is reflecting on three decades of educational enrichment initiatives and looking ahead to its goals for the new year.
One of the Hempfield Foundation’s primary goals is to provide opportunities for students in the Hempfield School District to excel regardless of their pursuits. The organization awards numerous grants to educators at each grade level, from second-grade art classes to high school science courses. Grants are also frequently used to reinforce the school district’s many extracurricular programs, including
theater departments and STEM competitions. In 2023, the Hempfield Foundation awarded dozens of grants to teachers and staff members throughout the school district, totaling more than $81,000. Projects made possible by Hempfield Foundation grants last year include the creation of a podcast production studio and an entrepreneurship center at Hempfield High School, emotional management kits
for students at East Petersburg Elementary School and book publishing tools at Landisville Primary Center. In addition to suppor ting children in the classroom, the Hempfield Foundation seeks to set students up for success as they embark on their next stage in education. In May, the foundation awarded $26,500 in scholarships to graduating seniors at Hempfield High School. See Hempfield Foundation pg 5
In 1956, a member of Ascension Lutheran Church i n Da nv i l l e , Va . , c re a t e d the first set of Chrismons. The word Chrismon is the combination of the words “Christ” and “monogram,” and it describes a unique type of Christmas tree ornament. Although the evergreen tree already signifies Christians’ belief in eternal life, Chrismons further emphasize this theme in multiple ways. Standard Christmas tree ornaments often incorporate elaborate color schemes and eye-catching materials into their designs, and they come in endless shapes and sizes. Many people personalize their tree with ornaments made from pictures of family members or crafts assembled by their children at school. In contrast to common decorations, a Chrismon is only painted white and uses a minimalist design to represent a singular aspect of Jesus Christ’s life or His teachings. The symbolic ornaments are typically used in combination with exclusively white and gold lights to embellish a Christmas tree. After several decades, the tradition of decorating a tree with Chrismons has spread beyond the Lutheran Church; it has been adopted by Anglicans, Catholics, Methodists and other Christian communities. Jane Kintzi, a member of Wayside Presbyterian Church in Landisville, introduced the holiday custom to her congregation See Chrismons pg 4
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