As Mother Nature sustains her frigid reign upon the St. Louis area and North America as a whole, the one hope the population fosters in their freezing hearts is the wish of an early spring.

Spring brings blooming flower buds, warm Saturday afternoons and the defrosting of our icy limbs, yet without one special holiday, all aspiration of pleasant weather is flushed down the drain.

Some see Groundhog Day as the best holiday in America’s arsenal of celebrations. How many other cultures around the world practically worship a tunnel rat every February 2 and give it the power to decide whether or not it continues to be cold out?

Although Groundhog Day is derived from Dutch and German superstition, it represents a time of change, and Windsor’s own science teacher Tom Ford and senior Reese Lebbing see it as a perfect opportunity to honor one of the more peculiar Americanized traditions.

“I’m one hundred percent certain Phil will see his shadow,” said Ford.

Ford’s physics class is set to celebrate Groundhog Day with a rodent-themed craft, a holiday snack, festive music, and movie trivia.

“I think at this time of year, we need every chance to celebrate and have fun. We should celebrate and anticipate the ending of this terrible nightmare we call Winter, and if we did host some big celebration that would bring more money to our fundraising events if we had one big party here in Kimmswick,” said Ford.

The big question is whether Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow. Of course everyone knows that if he does, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, spring will come early.

“Phil will see his shadow without a doubt,” said Lebbing.

The reasoning behind this odd concept is all up to the clarity of the sky. If the sky is clear, free from any rain clouds, that signifies an elongated winter because of the assertion that the winter season lacking liquefied precipitation. If the sky is cloudy, it can be interpreted that a springtime storm is on the horizon.

While many people across the United States wager bets on what exactly Phil sees, towns in Pennsylvania host week long festivals, commemorating the occasion. In fact, the Punxsutawney, PA, event draws crowds of over 40,000 attendees.

“I wish we had something like that closer to home because it is something I really respect, and I can understand why people make a big deal out of it. I wouldn’t say Groundhog Day is my favorite holiday, but it is something I look forward to every year,” said Lebbing.