Stepping into Room 2707, students entered a classroom adorned with a red carpet, a projected campfire and Christmas music playing in the background for the National Honor Society’s annual Winter Social after school on Dec. 9.

NHS adviser Jennifer Kuhleman carried on the event from her previous school in Sharpstown after joining the chapter two and a half years ago.

“The social is more like a tradition,” NHS academic vice president Kalina Peneva said. “We [officers] were excited about it, but we’re doing this because so many before us have done it as well.”

This year, NHS officers added cookie decorating to the activities from previous years, which included white elephant, card making, letter writing and ugly sweater competitions.

“The planning went by really fast, and things were developing really quickly,” Peneva said. “We were going to make cookies but couldn’t, so one of our officers, Carla, actually made cookies for us.”

During the card-making activity, students had the option of writing letters of thanks for staff members or letters of motivation to cancer patients.

“My favorite event was the card-making because we all got to contribute to the American Cancer Society together, so all of us were able to be creative and thankful,” junior Lizette Lara said.

Peneva said the purpose of the party was to provide a social gathering for “studious” NHS members to hang out.

“We’re really just trying to build chapter,” Kuhleman said. “We want more of our chapter members to feel connected and to increase friendships and camaraderie.”

Kuhleman also described the event as a way of expanding members’ circles and to create a comfort in meeting new people.

“Just watching the [members] laugh with each other and enjoy each other’s company is my favorite part,” Kuhleman said.