Early Halloween fun offered at Southern Local

SALINEVILLE - An assortment of ghosts, ghouls, princesses and superheroes descended on the Southern Local school campus Thursday evening for two events that offered a lot of pre-Halloween fun.

Southern Local High School became a Haunted High School, its darkened corridors filled with zombies, monsters and other strange beings played by members of the school's senior class as well as younger underclassmen.

Proceeds from the event's $5 admission will help furnish commemorative T-shirts for the Class of 2027, each bearing signatures from its members, and will be applied to the cost for the class' annual trip to Cedar Point.

The Haunted High School began last year as a fundraiser for the junior class, and Trace Savin, who had been among its masterminds, decided to carry it forward for the senior class when he was elected its vice president.

Mikie Peters, a permanent substitute overseeing the students, noted they have put in many hours cutting and painting cardboard backdrops for the macabre scenes created in the school's main hallways.

After the school day ended Thursday, the students could be found bustling about, setting up the scenes in sections, donning costumes and applying makeup to transform the school and themselves into elements from a nightmare.

Peters noted a separate, better lit and tamer corridor was established for younger visitors and included balloons and a cut-out cartoon ghost for photo-taking opportunities.

At the end of their journey, they were rewarded with candy supplied by Principal Jess Krulik and temporary tattoos provided by Jessica Coleman, a teacher at the school.

Peters said some funds allotted for the senior class, overseen by adviser Bob Shansky, were used for the project but much of the materials were donated by students and parents.

"A lot of the stuff was brought in by the kids. And all of them did their own costumes," she noted.

Outside the school, the athletic track at the Southern Local Indians' Wigwam Stadium was lined with tables of treats manned by local businesses, organizations and school personnel.

The first Southern Local Track or Treat was organized by the Southern Local High School Touchdown Club, a volunteer group that raises funds for the school's football and cheering squads.

Gary See, its treasurer, said no admission was charged because "We just wanted to offer a community event that was entirely free."

He noted the Touchdown Club did open the stadium's concession stand and other food also was sold by a handful of food trucks, with some of the proceeds going to the senior class.

The Southern Local Teachers Association invited visitors to place their hand into one of several, brightly colored boxes, each containing a treat or a trick, a mysterious wet or squishy object.

Ryan Smith, the group's president, said of its involvement, "It was a good opportunity to get involved. We're trying to make our organization more visible."

Gabby Watson, a student at Beaver Local High School, offered attendees a free opportunity to have their photos taken in front of an autumnal backdrop.

Watson said she had been taking senior portraits and graduation photos and hoping to branch out to other occasions, saw a chance to spread her name.

Visitors could have easily overlooked Superintendent Mary Alice Sigler, who was dressed as Bob, the yellow-suited ghoul with the shrunken head who is a close friend to Beetlejuice, the famed bio-exorcist of films and cartooons.

Sigler recruited a friend, Lisa DuVall, to play the latter, whose name shouldn't be repeated twice, to aid her in distributing candy and posing for photos.

"We've had a nice turnout, especially when the band was performing," said Sigler, who noted the Southern Local High School marching band and cheerleaders kicked off the festivities with performances that included Halloween themes.

"This event is a great way for people to trick or treat safely and be part of the community," she said.

Principal Krulik said even those who were still planning to go trick-or-treating this weekend said it was nice that their children could wear their costumes more than once.

He said the Touchdown Club's event nicely complemented the Haunted High School, which likely exceeded its attendance of 260 last year.