Wide-eyed and clutching their orange Jack-o-lantern candy bags, 17 adorable 3- to 4-year-olds made their way classroom to classroom trick or treating the day before Halloween with their student chaperones.
The chaperones are students in Hope Via’s early childhood development class, and the little ones are enrolled in the day care. One of the chaperones, junior Emily Smith, said she looked forward to this maybe more than her little charges did.
“The children were very well behaved and very good about saying ‘thank you’ when they got candy,” Smith said.
The group had a busy morning full of trekking, asking, and thanking. “We went to 34 rooms plus the cafeteria and front office,” Via said.
Physics teacher Joseph Perrotta was one of the teachers who signed up for the mini-visitors. “When they came in, some would go right up to my students and ask for candy,” Perrotta said. For those who were too shy, the chaperones either carried or encouraged them to ask. “My favorite costume was the fireman,” Perrotta said.
When the costumed caravan entered 12th grade English teacher Jill Bowen’s room, she said they seemed a little overwhelmed but still excited to see new people and get more candy.
“One little girl with tiny hands came up and grabbed seven pieces of candy,” Bowen said. “It was really cute.”
Susan King, AP European History and Gifted World History teacher, also enjoyed the trick or treaters. “The kids were very shy, but the big kids that came along were helpful,” King said. “The kids were very cute like they always are.”
Mark Henderson, Math II and III teacher, also enjoyed the preschoolers’ visit. “The kids seemed to have a lot of fun while they walked around,” Henderson said. “My favorite costume was the twins who were dressed up in the ‘Toy Story’ costumes.”
Each child lugged around about two to three bags full of candy, Via said.
“Afterward they were tired, but we had a party with cupcakes and cookies,” Via said. “That seemed to give them some more energy.”