This Thanksgiving, students at Pembroke Pines Charter High School (PPCHS) didn’t stick to the dinner classics. Sure, many piled roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce onto their plates, but plenty of others mixed things up, incorporating dishes from their own family traditions. 

Some didn’t even sit for a fancy, elegant Thanksgiving meal; instead, they headed out of town and took a relaxing vacation to celebrate. Everyone has their own spin on Thanksgiving, so no two plates look the same. Here is how the PPCHS student body celebrated gratitude this Thanksgiving season.

“My family [ate] braised pork leg on Thanksgiving. But in Spanish we call it cerdo.” – Jorge Isaacs, freshman

“My family and I always go on trips during Thanksgiving break instead of having a traditional dinner. This week we are going on a cruise, and last year we went to Europe.” – Yogitha Adusumilli, sophomore 

“On my Thanksgiving plate, there [was] 4 empanadas, 4 buñuelos, and turkey. And for dessert, I made 3 s’mores for myself on the grill.” –Luciana Garcia, sophomore 

“My plate is full of pork, rice, and sweet ham. Then, maybe some cornbread, mac and cheese, and pumpkin pie. My family has always invited people, eaten food, and played football every year,” – Daniel St. Louis, sophomore

“The main things… on my Thanksgiving plate are… ham, turkey, corn casserole, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, biscuits, [and] gravy,” – Hadassah Pio, junior

“I don’t really eat much Thanksgiving food. I really only eat mashed potatoes and stuffing,” -Henry Bartkowicz, Junior

However PPCHS students chose to celebrate Thanksgiving, they did so with gratitude in mind. The best part of the break may be those full plates of food or the time spent with loved ones. Regardless, the student body was excited to celebrate Thanksgiving in their own unique ways.