Do you have a turkey in your pocket? This is a question that has been heard every Thursday at Alliance High School this month. Teachers asking that question hope the answer is yes; meanwhile, teachers with turkeys hope they never get asked this question.

“What is this activity?” asked many students, so I decided to take a deep dive into this. The turkey in your pocket activity is something that teachers participate in on Thursdays in November. Four teachers are chosen at random to receive these turkeys and hopefully, hold onto them for the rest of the day. The reward if you turn a turkey in at the end of the day varies but has been gift cards and thanksgiving food items.

Katie Ackerman, AHS Biology Teacher, has had a lot of fun with this activity. When asked if she enjoys this activity she said, “I love it! Teachers like to stay in their hallways or even just their classrooms. This activity gets them talking to teachers they don’t often see.” I followed up on this question asking if she has won yet she responded with, “No! I had a turkey for all of two minutes.” Though she hasn’t won she stated “It has been very fun even if I think I was cheated of a win.”

This activity hasn’t come without scandals however, some teachers believe others cheated. Mrs. Ackerman Said, “There were definitely cheaters, I won’t name drop them but they know who they are!” She later stated “I think the rewards are gift cards but I wouldn’t know, you would have to ask the cheaters to make sure!” This of course is all fun and games and she is not angry at any teachers nor is she holding grudges. Another teacher, Izzy Thompson, Jokingly stated, “I hid in my closet! It’s not cheating, it’s called being smart.” The last teacher I talked to, who would like to remain anonymous, stated, “I’m not pointing fingers but Coach Mo [Palomo] is definitely suspicious.”

On a final note, many teachers hope this is a tradition they continue in years to come!