Warren students to host haunted trail Oct. 17 and 24
From left, Kiauna Clegg and Hailo Featherstone discuss what props they'll need for the haunted trail Friday morning at Warren High School. (Photo by Gwen Sour)
From left, Warren High School students Asher Roberts, Ollie Bachmann, Anna McCrady and Payton Sweeney coordinate their scare actor costumes for the haunted trail during their theatre class Friday morning at warren High School. (Photo by Gwen Sour)
Warren High School students paint set pieces to prepare for the haunted trail fundraiser Friday morning. (Photo by Gwen Sour)
From left, Kiauna Clegg and Hailo Featherstone discuss what props they'll need for the haunted trail Friday morning at Warren High School. (Photo by Gwen Sour)
From left, Warren High School students Asher Roberts, Ollie Bachmann, Anna McCrady and Payton Sweeney coordinate their scare actor costumes for the haunted trail during their theatre class Friday morning at warren High School. (Photo by Gwen Sour)
Warren High School students paint set pieces to prepare for the haunted trail fundraiser Friday morning. (Photo by Gwen Sour)
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VINCENT -- Warren High School students and staff are preparing to trade the stage for the woods as the school's drama club and National Honor Society host a haunted trail on two Saturdays this month.
The trail will be open from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Oct. 17 and 24 on the nature trail at Warren High School in Vincent. Admission is $5.
Robby Allen, who teaches theater, AP literature and English, said the fundraiser grew out of a desire to try something different after years of murder mystery dinners.
Those dinners included silent auctions and other fundraising activities, but the department had begun cycling through the same collection of about eight scripts.
"When I took over the theater department, I was like, 'I would like to do something fresh and different,'" Allen said.
That led to an indoor haunted house last year. After dealing with the cleanup, Allen decided to move this year's event outside, using the school's nature trail, which also serves the cross country team.
Rather than follow a single theme, the haunted trail will feature several sections with different scares. Plans include a small corn maze, a graveyard and an area near a chain-link fence where actors will roam.
Students are preparing decorations and costume pieces, making old-looking headstones and planning items to hang from trees. A creek and bridge along the trail will also become part of the setting.
For students returning from last year's haunted house, the event offers another opportunity to have fun while raising money.
"Mostly because it was really fun last year, and we want to actually make a profit," Payton Sweeney, a sophomore, said when asked what motivated her to participate.
Preparations have included searching the theater department's costume collection for outfits and accessories.
"Mainly just finding stuff in the costume room because it's a little bit of a mess," said Freshman Hailo Featherstone. "But we found like creepy farmer, demented grandma, vampires, scarecrows."
Other students said they planned to appear as a zombie, clown or jester. The maze has also generated excitement among those helping build the attraction.
"I think some of us are pretty stoked about the maze," said Freshman Anna McCrady.
Asked about their favorite parts of Halloween, students pointed to costumes, spending time with friends and opportunities to give others a fright.
"Scaring my sister with my costume," Alex Greenhouse, a freshman at the high school said.
Allen said the idea is to offer a smaller haunted attraction with a lower admission price and less intensity than a large commercial operation.
The event has drawn interest from adults at the school, too. Allen said about 30 students and staff members have signed up to participate each night, including guidance counselor Barb Augustine.
"A huge amount of people signed up, which is very exciting," Allen said.