Sacred Heart students celebrate Mardi Gras

Students line up for a piece of King Cake. One student was lucky enough to find the hidden Baby Jesus inside a piece.
On Feb. 21, students at Sacred Heart celebrated Mardi Gras as they learned about the history of Lent. Several games were set up in Newman Hall for the afternoon. Sixth-grader Henry Wolken assists kindergartener Emersyn Reyner at a carnival game as she wears her decorated facemask.
Fourth-grade teacher Matt Federspiel as Evalyn Steger tries her hand at putting. (Photos by Kim Brooks)
Students at Sacred Heart School celebrated Mardi Gras on Tuesday, Feb. 21, also known as "Fat Tuesday."
The sixth graders set up and organized various carnival-type games and activities for the students to take part in inside Newman Hall. Those included: a balloon race, a fishpond, tattoos, mini bowling, and golf putting. At the end of the afternoon, the kids were treated to King Cake, with one lucky student, third-grader Davis Lyons, finding the plastic baby hidden inside his piece of cake.
Principal Susan Hucker shared that the school used this day as an opportunity to talk to the students "about the traditional way of preparing for Lent."
Students also decorated face masks and received beaded necklaces.
Hucker said the different colored beads (purple, green, and gold) symbolize justice, faith, and power respectively.
The Lenten season requires fasting and abstinence. Mardi Gras is a celebration and a feast.
"A long time ago, this meant no animal products or meat; no butter, eggs, milk, cheese, or meat for the whole six weeks of Lent," Hucker offered via the school newsletter. "There were no refrigerators or freezers, and the food would not keep for six weeks. People gathered together and shared what they had and made a feast to use up the ingredients."
The significance of King Cake… "When people made special cakes or pastries, they would sometimes hide a coin, a ring, or a plastic/wooden baby inside. The person who found the baby Jesus would get a prize or a coin or a seat of honor at the celebration. It was a way to honor Jesus."