Kissing a Kid for a Cause: Principal Searle Is the G.O.A.T.
Principal Jason Searle “won” an FFA-sponsored contest and got to kiss a baby goat for a good cause just before lunch on Friday, Feb. 23.
The contest was put together to raise money for fifth-grade teacher Jenna Pachta’s daughter, Ellie, who is fighting cancer. Together, students and staff members raised $178.
Students and staff placed money into cups labeled with staff members’ names, and at the end of the week, Searle was the clear-cut champion.
Students packed the commons and huddled around Searle and the baby goat, Elsa, to witness the osculatory spectacle. Elsa and her brother, Olaf, were born in the SC greenhouse on Jan. 10.
“We have done ‘kiss the goat’ events in the past,” said agriculture teacher and FFA supervisor Amy Tomlinson. “We usually do service projects during FFA week. This year we wanted to do it a little differently. The members were split between raising money for Ellie and raising money for the Be Kind Foundation.”
FFA members participated in a survey to decide, and Ellie won their hearts.
Though the event was a success, some students were disappointed by Searle’s decision to give the goat a mere Eskimo kiss.
“I came there to see a grown man kiss a goat and I left dissatisfied with his kiss,” said junior Samantha Galaway.
Other students were outright jealous.
“I think I saw a little tongue in there,” said senior Austin Wilson. “I wish I could have kissed the goat. It would have been an amazing first kiss.”