Photos courtesy of the Rockland High Student Government Council Instagram
By The Veritas Staff
10/23/26
ROCKLAND- Rockland High hosted Project Pumpkin on October 17. The RHS Student Government Council (SGC) hosted the annual safe trick-or-treating event for local children and their families.
Students from RHS received community service to work the event. Some dressed up as characters with their classmates, some worked in the Haunted Hallway, or helped with a community can drive for the Rockland Food Pantry.
Senior Grace Doherty, who is head of the Student Services Committee, said the event is a “fun and easy way” to complete part of the school’s community service requirement and she was happy the volunteers in the hallway were dedicated and had a blast.
After collecting candy on a walk around the high school, families could go to the Rogers Middle School gym to experience face painting, crafts, games, or jump in the bouncy house.
Students choose costume themes and not only dress up, but decorate their area of the hallway with backdrops, props, music, and extra activities for trick-or-treaters. The SGC had visitors vote on their favorite theme, and the members of the winning group were Mikaela Murray, Abby McDonagh, Ryleigh Atkinson, Celia Harlow, and Sydney Bodio, who dressed up as the characters from Disney’s Inside Out.
“The winning theme of Inside Out had to have been the best one I have seen in all of my four years at RHS. I am so proud of all of those girls,” Doherty said.
Some of the other themes were Toy Story, Winnie the Pooh, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Fast Food, M&Ms, Under the Sea, and the television show Victorious.
Senior Ryan Blake said, “It allows students to explore their ability to design and own special interests.” He added, “it’s just as important for the [high school] students as the younger ones.”
In order to provide a safe experience for all children, there was one hallway that only had nut-free candy to families who had allergy concerns.
Doherty said the SGC prioritizes the nut-free hallway because it “allows families who may have a nut allergy to have a fun experience without worrying.”
The Haunted Hallway had the option for visitors to choose a level of scare between 1 (not so scary) and 5 (as scary as possible). The general theme of costume for the hallway was Zombie, but there was a scary clown, nun, and in the darkness, all who jumped out from behind props in the darkness.
Students run the event with the help of SCG advisors Ms. Ashley Lipson and Ms. Kayla Burgos. The students plan their themes, bring the candy they will give out, and receive 5 hours of community service hour graduation requirement of 25 hours.
Candy was donated by students. The middle school held a contest for the class that could collect the most candy to donate. The winning class was Ms. Julia Ferrante’s class with 5,123 pieces of candy.
The money raised by SGC from the event will go to future events like Homecoming, senior gift bags at the Pep Rally, Mr. Rockland, Teacher Appreciation Week, and leadership conferences.