During the school week of Oct. 24-Nov. 1, West Chicago Community High School students and staff participated in a Halloween Spirit Week. 

Spirit Weeks, traditionally run by the Student Council, are assembled to promote school spirit and usually happen in anticipation of a large event, in this case, Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). 

WEGO’s Student Council promoted a week full of themes, such as Pajama Day (Oct. 24), Class Color Day (Oct. 25), Country v. Country Club (Oct. 26), and Anything but a Backpack Day (Oct. 27). The event also included a Halloween costume contest on Oct. 31. An ofrenda (an altar made to honor those who have passed during Dia De Los Muertos) appeared in Commons on the same day, offering students and staff the opportunity to place photos in honor of Day of the Dead. 

Student Council head advisor Candace Fikis said the spirit week has been “kind of a fun activity to go along with Halloween…it kinda just ties the whole week with a bunch of activities.”

Senior Cameron Petrie said the Halloween Spirit Week is always his favorite; he enjoys Anything but a Backpack Day, so he was “super excited to have them both in one week,” but was not able to participate in the Spirit Day himself because he apparently did not have time to put a backpack substitute together.

On Monday, Oct.31, Halloween Day,  students and staff were urged to show off their costumes. A costume contest was held before school in Commons with prizes for funniest costume, scariest costume, best group costume, and most creative costume. Contestants had costumes ranging from “Moana and Maui” to “Rock, Paper, Scissors”. The winners,  the counseling department, had “The Shining” inspired costumes. 

Choir director Brandon Fantozzi, who has competed for years in the costume contest (winning scariest costume last year for his Chunk from “The Goonies” costume) said, “It’s just fun, fun for school spirit.” 

Not only was there a costume contest, but WEGO’s Horticulture Club hosted a pumpkin carving/painting contest. Advertisements for the contest began Oct. 24, and students and staff brought in their pumpkins Oct. 26-31. Winners were announced Wednesday, Nov. 2 during students’ den. First place winner, Melanie Ballines, took home a $100 prize, with second place (Kalia DePaz) winning $75, and third place (Valeria Ballines) $50.

“I love the pumpkin contest. I have such an appreciation for art and sometimes I don’t get to see how creative some students are when I teach biology on a daily basis. Everyone did such a great job. I’m already looking forward to next year!” said science teacher Corrie Stieglitz.

“[The pumpkin decorating contest] is super fun and just gave me some time to relax and become a kid again to carve a pumpkin,” said senior Taylor Estrada, who entered a minion pumpkin in honor of “Despicable Me”.

Sophomore Sophia Miller said, “The spirit week for Halloween was probably our best one of the year yet.”