Miracles exist at Palisade High School. 

Each year, sophomores at Palisade must create a Sophomore Project, a project full of research and essays that can revolve around anything from baking cookies to building a rocket. One sophomore in specific Elizabeth Fleming decided to create a calendar full of animals up for adoption at the Local Royst Hurst Society. She then sold these printed calendars at lunch for an entire week after Winter Break. Coincidentally Mrs. Kathy, the head janitor here at Palisade, had been missing her black cat for 9 months. Her cat, Murphy, had run away one night and after weeks of searching, Mrs. Kathy and her husband eventually gave up as they assumed the worst had happened. But the universe works in mysterious ways. “I’ve always been someone who will do anything for animals because I love them,” said Mrs. Kathy, “so I went over to the table she was selling them at and said ‘that one looks familiar!’” Immediately after noticing the picture, Mrs. Kathy and her husband traveled down to Roice Hurst to verify the realization. The cat, who had been called Kizmo at the shelter, was shy to every other person who tried to befriend him, but was immediately friendly towards Mrs. Kathy and her husband. Without a doubt, the cat was Mrs. Kathy’s lost best friend. “There were many happy tears,” said Mrs. Kathy, “he comes up and just hugs us now.” It took months for Murphy to become familiar towards Mrs. Kathy’s other cats, but eventually they all became a family again. “If it wasn’t for that calendar we would’ve never known,” exclaimed Mrs. Kathy, “it was a Christmas miracle.” None of this would’ve happened without the generosity, love for animals, and support from Elizabeth Fleming. Truly, miracles do exist.