After the final bell echoed through the halls on Friday afternoon, Day Creek students burst down the halls with high anticipation of the annual Halloween Bash. Parents mixed with students, identified by bright orange name stickers. They assisted teachers in their own goofy costumes, all among a sea of costumed kids flooding the basketball courts and gym. The sound of laughter mixed with screams in the warm afternoon breeze. Cheerful volunteers could be seen guiding excited students from game to game including the Spin-The-Wheel booth, a football toss, and a series of inflatable activities like the basketball shootout.

The entire hardcourts buzzed with energy, bright smiles, and friendly chatter, as parents and grandparents enjoyed the energy of their 6-8th grade students moving back and forth with their friends among the games on the hard court. 

At the Hippity Hoppity booth, parent volunteer Lisa R, couldn’t help but grin at the setup. “It’s so fun watching the kids; they get all lined up with the bouncy balls and race,” she said, adjusting the line markers. A mom of a Day Creek 7th grader, her thrill was watching the campus come alive with the energy she helped create.

The carnival games stole the show with parent-led stations buzzing as lines of kids filled the area just south of the gym. Volunteers teamed up to run favorites like Donut Bobbing and the Whipped Cream contests, each a fun Halloween twist. It was organized chaos: balls bounced wildly, whipped cream flying, and cheers erupting every time a donut vanished mid-air.

“We’ve had a couple of kids who had some falls when getting onto the bouncy balls and on the markers!” said Lisa, laughing at what she’d witnessed.

She watched her own son team up with friends for the football toss. “I got to see him interact with all his friends, and kids I’ve seen as kindergarteners grow up into seventh graders. I really love seeing Smith and his friends enjoy themselves.”

Another parent volunteer, Nera P,  shared a standout moment from the donuts-on-a-string station, where she high-fived a student mid-bite. “One boy came back for three donuts in a row, only picking powdered donuts of course, and then he won two of the three!” she said.

Besides carnival games, students rotated to the haunted maze, where spooky sound effects, dark rooms, and jump scares kept everyone on their toes. Volunteers helped guide groups throughout the process, making sure everyone had fun while staying safe. The maze echoed with laughter and occasional screams as the groups made their way through.

When everyone finished the maze, it was time for pizza and snacks. Students gathered around tables with their friends, swapping stories about their favorite games and scariest maze moments. Parents and volunteers handed out slices, keeping the atmosphere cheerful and lively before the sun began to set.

When the games wrapped up, the last of the prizes were handed out, and parents began cleaning up their booths. The sounds of cheering faded into friendly chatter, but the excitement of the day lingered.

“It’s a great experience,” Nera said. “You get to see your kids and their friends having fun at school, which doesn’t happen often. I’d encourage everyone to volunteer at Day Creek. Everyone’s so helpful; it’s amazing.”

Once more, Day Creek’s Halloween Bash proved that the heart of the event isn’t just the games or decorations, it’s the volunteers and families who make it all happen.