As students walked into school this Halloween, Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey greeted them in the bodies of the school’s administration.
The staff of EHS showed great dedication to their costumes, the most notable one being a trio costume. Mrs. Grable, Mr. Polland, and Mr. Lemon went all out for their Shrek-inspired costumes. They were dressed as the characters Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey. Mrs. Grable and Mr. Polland even went to the extreme of painting themselves green.
These teachers always stand at the entrance of the high school in the morning to greet students as they come in. Halloween was no exception, so the green-faced teachers stood at the entrance. “Some students walking in were afraid to make eye contact with us,” said Mrs.Grabel. The costumes surprised most of the students, but it also helped start their day with a smile.
These three teachers came up with this idea in early October and have been planning the details all month long. They came up with a bunch of options for costume ideas together but Mrs.Grable left the final decision in the hands of Mr.Polland and Mr.Lemon. “The boys decided on Shrek,” said Mrs. Grable. “We decided early October so we would have plenty of time to buy the stuff we needed.”
Almost the entire staff of the teachers dressed up for Halloween. The teachers believe the success of dress-up days starts with them. “Our staff takes our lead, and our kids take the lead of the teachers,” said Mrs.Grable. “If we want spirit days, then we have to go all in.” Mrs. Grable firmly believes that as leaders in the school, they must take part. Students and teachers can see the courage of the teachers, which allows them to feel comfortable dressing up too. Mrs. Grable encourages the teachers to dress up for all spirit days as she believes it helps the school’s pride and culture.
These teachers decided it was important to allow the high school students to dress up and wear costumes for Halloween. Many holiday traditions are lost as children grow up and become teenagers. In elementry school, holiday parties are something students look forward to. These parties do not happen in high school since the students are in their teenage years. Although the teachers couldn’t allow for a day free of class, they were able to bring Halloween spirit into the high school.
Many students followed the teachers’ lead and also dressed up for Halloween. The most popular costumes among students were different versions of inflatable suits. These costumes were a loud statement, and all eyes fell on these students when they walked into their classes. “Mostly everyone just laughed at me,” said Sariyah Gaona (26). These costumes were not ideal for practical uses. “The doors were small and the blow-up head was really big, so it was hard to fit through,” says Gaona (26). Although these costumes weren’t ideal for learning, they boosted Halloween spirit.
Many other students used their creativity to dress up as witches, princesses, and animals. The Halloween spirit was flowing throughout the school on the 31st, and it’s because of the culture at EHS. The teachers and students both showed out with unique costumes, as there was no fear of being the only person wearing a costume. Everything in Eaton is taken seriously because the pride in this town is next level. Students aren’t afraid to step out of their comfort zones for dress-up days because participation is an expectation. This Halloween’s unique and funny costumes play into the bigger picture of what it means to be an Eaton Red.
