The sound of coughing and sniffling reverberates throughout the classrooms.  Hoping to take a quick nap before the bell rings, students rest their heads on their desks. Winter break is rolling in just on time.  Students are beginning to feel the pressure of the inevitable end of the semester.

Overwhelmed by  extracurricular activities and school, students are ready for a break.

“Weekends are nice, but they’re not long enough.  I’m excited for the break because I get to sleep in and get more sleep than I normally do,” said junior Geizy Momanyi as she talks about her hectic efforts of balancing her schedule of Advance Placement, Honors, and College Credit classes along with being the president of the Spanish National Honor Society.

“The minute I enter school, I start to feel overwhelmed.  I would say a majority of the things that overwhelm me are school or SNHS related.”

However, students are not the only ones bearing the weight of the end of the year.  Teachers are swamped as well.

Having taught at Pattonville for 21 years, Spanish teacher Dr. Silvia Hilker, knows her students can use a few days off.

But Hilker said, “I love my job.  The students, they keep me motivated.  I love seeing them learn.  We have had a very busy semester but I think teachers are ready for a break too.”

Maggie Vitale, a sophomore at Pattonville explains the reason for her thrill for a break.  “I’m excited about break because I will not have to worry about having to go to school, waking up early, or doing a lot of homework.”