Halloween Week Festivities at Sidwell Friends School

Our son goes to a private high school in Washington, DC where the academics are excellent, the kids are (mostly) affluent, and the pressure can sometimes be intense. This is especially true during the last week of October when the seniors have Early Action college applications due (November 1 is the actual due date).
Marcus (on his own) decided that the high schoolers all needed to relax, have some fun, and remember to be children again. So he decided that Halloween week needed to be celebrated. He proposed his idea to student government, who were enthusiastically in favor, and then to the administration, which gave him permission to move forward.
Monday, 10/28, was the first day. Marcus managed to convince a group of his friends to show up to the school at 7:00 am (an hour before school started) to help him decorate the high school. And so it happened.


He also held a photo scavenger hunt (e.g. take a selfie with something orange, take a selfie with someone from every grade, etc.). His first winner emailed him the photos at 8:07 am. (He decided to award 3 prizes that day instead of 1.)
Tuesday, 10/29 was Halloween trivia contest day. And Wednesday, 10/30 was a pumpkin hunt (like an Easter egg hunt, only for pumpkins) and a mummy wrap game.
But Thursday, Halloween itself, was the highlight. A costume contest was held, with winners awarded from each grade. In addition, a faculty and staff costume contest also took place. To Marcus’s delight, the hallways were filled with costumed students and faculty alike, all excited about Halloween. Trick-or-treating with student government staffed stations and some faculty during class also took place. And, at the end of the day, faculty and students alike had some fun, remembered their inner child, and celebrated Halloween together. As the Head of School said, “It almost felt like a real high school.”

We could not be prouder of him.

3 thoughts on “Halloween Week Festivities at Sidwell Friends School

  1. Hello May,
    Thank you again for your article about the family enjoying Halloween.
    A lot of Europeans and Australians complain about the ‘American Halloween Festivities’ but as I pointed out to Tina that we threw a Halloween party for Adam and his friends when he was in Primary school, and they all had a great, scary and fun time.
    actually Adam is now 30 and still dresses up and applies lots of make-up and goes to Halloween parties. Seems Adam loves using make-up.
    So, as I said to Tina, why does it matter where the festivities came from, just as long as folk, particularly young folk had a good and happy time. I do believe that the young have a harder time than I did with the multiples of world problems facing them.
    Tina saw my point, and no longer complains about Halloween. Now I call that a win/win
    Warmest wishes you and your lovely family David Parr

    • There is something tremendously relaxing and liberating about dressing up in costume. And there is never anything wrong with free candy!
      Thank you, as always, for reading my blog! Hope all is well with you and yours!

      May

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