High School Halloween

Yesterday at SJ23 all students and faculty were encouraged to wear  costumes to get in the Halloween spirit for our holiday themed pep rally. Working in a high school has been eye opening for a number of reasons, but at it simplest level I love observing them in their natural environment. Because our students wear uniforms, it is rare to see a student outwardly display their style. Decked out in their costumes, many of them showcased their humor, creativity, and style front and center.

Three seniors dressed up as geriatric residents of a nursing home complete with walkers, spray painted white hair, and pajamas and slippers. In the hallways, I crossed paths with martians, Jason, a cross dresser, Rapunzel, and a Ghostbuster. What surprised me the most though were the number of students wearing onesies. On average, I’d say at least 60% of the student body donned some type of pajama onesie. Most onesies included a hood with animal ears and a tail. It was clear that comfort trumped creativity with our group of teenagers.

Always looking for opportunities to connect with my students, I decided to go all out with my costume this year and channel my inner Frida Kahlo. My eyebrows required extensive attention and the help of a brown eye pencil. The evolution of the brows allowed me to transform into the iconic artist. This proved to be a process as my first selfie reveals. I realized the eye brows were still too thin and far apart. With more penciling in and arching on the sides, I finally reached perfection. Even Atticus seemed confused by my transformation as he eyed me with some hesitation as he waited for me lift him out of the crib. Clearly my eyebrows were throwing him off.

Our Honors Spanish teacher created a beautiful ofrenda outside her classroom in preparation for dia de los muertos next week. I opted for an incredible photo opp in front of the altar to really bring life to Frida. The response from my students was positive and complimentary. Many were familiar with her work and it proved to be a great talking point for those who were unfamiliar. I set the bar high with my students this year, so I’ll definitely need to come back with an equally iconic costume next year.