Safe Halloween @ West!

On Friday, October 24, exactly one week before Halloween, Half Hollow Hills High School West hosted Safe Halloween, in which young children gathered to participate in festivities such as handing out candy, decorating the hallways and doors, and hosting fun games for the kids to enjoy. This amazing event would not have been possible without the tremendous preparation by every club, with both members and advisors putting in hours of determination to make this the most fun experience possible for the kids. 

Beginning at 4:00, the kids flooded in through the English hallway entrance, ready to dive into the jam-packed activities and fun planned for the next two hours. In this hallway, music was blasting, and many groups had decorated their respective rooms. Entering the school had an eerie yet exciting atmosphere. After exploring the English hallways, the kids took a right turn down the next hallway, filled with spooky decorations to set the tone. Walking down this hallway, they neared more clubs under the staircase, with some offering the kids candy, and even the Women in Science Engineering (WISE) club offering tattoos for the kids.

Following this, the kids stumbled upon the guidance area, where they were greeted by the Blue Notes Jazz Ensemble handing out candy and the Student Executive Council decorating the guidance windows with each of the Half Hollow Hills elementary schools, allowing for students to decorate a pumpkin to put on their designated school. As they got closer to the cafeteria, the kids were greeted by a plethora of clubs handing out candy and engaging in fun activities for the kids to partake in, with some giving out candy and some entertaining the kids through minigames.

Finally, the kids got to the cafeteria, where they first saw the Science Olympiad club host a precision shooting game with marble launchers, trying to get the marble into a target to win. Then, the Science National Honor Society met them with their own ring toss game, where if they won it, they won the ultimate prize: even more candy. Following that, Tri-M hosted a handful of exciting, original games, in which they put much effort into.

Last but not least, the Robotics club handed out candy with their robots and even had a few games of their own. 

Overall, Safe Halloween was a huge success thanks to the participation and excitement from clubs and the children alike. When asked about his overall thoughts on the event, Dr. Catapano conveyed his enthusiasm by mentioning that he was very excited that Hills West gets to do this every other year “for the community.”

Additionally, all students that donated candy for this event were vital as, like Halloween, candy was a crucial component for the happiness of the kids. Each club working together with a common goal in mind was extremely important to achieving the highest degree of fun possible for the younger children in Half Hollow Hills.