Twenty teachers, 1140 cookies, one library.

Every year, the staff at PAHS holds a cookie exchange in which participants bring in an assortment of cookies to share. The exchange takes place before Christmas and is meant to spread holiday cheer. The tradition began in 2011 when Ms. Carolyn Wasilewski, math teacher, and her lunch group of 10 traded cookies amongst themselves.

“What everyone did was make a half dozen of their chosen cookie for the other 19 members of the group,” Wasilewski said. “So all of us are going home with nine and a half dozen cookies.”

This year, 20 teachers and staff members participated in the cookie exchange. The most that have ever baked for the event was a few years ago when 36 showed up for the exchange.

“The cookie exchange is great because it allows all of us to get together, and we don’t often get to do that,” Mrs. Lillian Hobbs, librarian, said. “It’s great because we have males and females participating, and it’s a nice way to get some holiday cheer.”

What started as a simple get-together became an annual tradition in which teachers congregate for the joy of the holiday season.

“It’s a fun tradition. The cookies are awesome,” Mr. Carmen DiCello, health teacher said. “[Though] I personally will not eat them until later today because I run every day. I really want to eat just a hundred right now, but I can’t. I’ll have to go for my run, and when I get home I’ll feast.”