That’s a wrap on spooky season! In celebration of this recent fun and candy-filled holiday, Rochester High School’s Student Government (StuGo) planned a trunk or treat for the elementary school kids. The event took place on Oct. 27 from 5-8 p.m. in the RHS parking lot. 

All clubs and sports were involved, each one getting their own car to decorate and pass out candy from. Three representatives were allowed for each sport or club and were asked to dress up representing their group to get the little kids involved. 

“Our idea for trunk or treat started when we tried to find an event that gets kids involved with the high schools,” junior Marissa Gallagher said. “We knew that it was a possibility that kids might not be able to trick or treat this year due to COVID, and we wanted to give them a way to still make Halloween special this year and also make it COVID friendly.”

StuGo started planning the event a month or two in advance. The event had to get approved by the administration, and students had to research how to make it COVID friendly while finding clubs who wanted to participate. 

“The COVID planning committee helped us make a plan and contact all the clubs, schools, teachers, and sports to let them know what was happening,” senior Ana Hernandez and event organizer said. “We had to make a couple different plans in case the COVID numbers increased. We had to come up with a plan and a route. We had to make baskets to put the candy in and we put PVC pipes on it so we can make it socially distanced. We also made a balloon wall and got supplies.”

Before the event, many people were looking forward to the outcome of all the hard work they have put into it by seeing the kids with their smiling faces and Halloween spirit.

“I am looking forward to seeing all the kids come in and participate,” Gallagher said previously. “The elementary school that I went to has a lot of kids who I know are coming so it’s going to be really cool to see an event that we spent so much time on coming together.”

Participant second grader Dominic Azzo was excited to attend because he knew Halloween wouldn’t be the same this year due to COVID.

“I dressed up as the joker and they gave me so much candy. Someone was Minnie Mouse,” he said. 

Senior Mark Williams attended the Trunk or Treat for the basketball team. They wore their uniforms and decorated the trunk with a mini basketball hoop, balloons, and streamers.

“I didn’t anticipate that many kids would come especially since it was raining and it was extremely cold,” Williams explained. “[But] The event went extremely well, there were a lot of clubs that showed out at the event to try and help raise money for their program, and there were a lot of kids who got the candy they came for… My favorite part was seeing some of my friends again and being able to give some kids the opportunity to have a Halloween even if it is a little different than normal.”

Sophomore Ella Massa attended for Girls’ Soccer.

“We made signs with our club name on it, hung up streamers, and blew up balloons and placed them in the trunk,” she said. “My favorite part about trunk or treat was seeing the smiles on the kid’s faces.”

The participants had fun with this event, dressing up and decorating their car so that the kids could have a fun night and look forward to getting involved in future activities at RHS.

“Everybody has been so supportive of this event from the start and we are so thankful for that,” Gallagher said. “We had a great turnout in Rochester High students coming to set up trunks and we’re all so thankful for everybody that participated and helped us along the way.”