Calzone day turns into unique tradition at Liberty High School
Once a month, there's an unofficial holiday at Liberty High School. For more than 20 years, there's been one day a month that the students, the teachers, everyone at Liberty High School look forward to, calzone day.
LIBERTY, Ohio - Once a month, there's an unofficial holiday at Liberty High School. For more than 20 years, there's been one day a month that the students, the teachers, everyone at Liberty High School look forward to, calzone day.
The story behind it started quite simply.
"It was just something new to put on the menu, and it just escalated to craziness," said Patty Copenhaver, the cafeteria manager at Liberty.
Patty comes in at five in the morning to get it all started, a day much different than most right from the start.
"There's a lot more work," said Copenhaver. "We all have to come in early to get them all done because it's a lot to make them and bake them."
One by one, three women fill, fold, and press them all by hand. It's turned into a tradition not only for the students but for all the cafeteria workers as well.
"Well, we all have our own technique, and we all have our own different version of what we do with it. You wet the dough. Then we put the pepperoni in; we put the cheese in. Then we kind of crimp it. Some crimp different, some don't. Then we take the fork, and we seal it all, and we all have our own little indentation, so we know whose calzone belongs to who," said Copenhaver.
By the time the day's all said and done, more than 350 calzones will run through the oven. There's a reason; this has been going on for more than 20 years.
"You can smell them throughout the morning," said Liberty High School principal Akesha Joseph, who even admitted that merely talking about the calzones was making her hungry.
"We all, mutual agreement with the nods while we're eating it. You don't need to say too much. You just need to eat it," said senior Lawren Davis.
"Regardless of how your morning has been, it's like you take that bite of the calzone mid-day during lunch and you just know, it's a great day," said Joseph.
"With the sauce on the side when you dip it in," said Davis. "I love it."
"I think we're just proud that the kids like it and enjoy it. It gives them something different on the menu," said Copenhaver.
All because of three women trying to go the extra mile and put a smile on a whole lot of faces at lunchtime.
