by Da Hee Yang (’23) | November 16, 2020
Saint Francis hosted the first-ever Haunted Drive-Thru on Friday, October 30. The event was designed specifically for students to engage with the school community and feel the Halloween spirit even during the pandemic. Students, teachers, and parents drove their cars through various clubs’ uniquely-themed booths in different sections of the 600 parking lot, while rigorously following the county’s safety protocols. Numerous clubs participated in the event, from student council to affinity groups, contributing to the atmosphere alongside the Halloween music. Through club members’ and leaders’ active involvement before, during, and after the drive-thru, Saint Francis was able to put on the spooky event of the year.
Junior Student Council member Sydney Fuentez (’22) recalls her experience of collaborating with others during the preparation process: “I loved seeing everyone come together again to put on a big event like this. I also enjoyed seeing [everyone’s] enthusiasm!” Involvement in this exciting event was not only limited to club members, as different teachers and club moderators helped manage student involvement and brought energy to the campus. Ms. Savinovich, a moderator for Sophomore Student Council, joyfully shared her experience: “I was blown away by the motivation and efficiency of Sophomore Student Council. Between the power of a shared Google Doc and the creativity and enthusiasm of a dedicated group of students—we were able to bring so much joy and spooky jubilation.”
The Haunted Drive-Thru ended successfully with everyone embracing the various Halloween themes. A variety of clubs designed distinctive costumes based on their themes, from students wearing hazmat suits representing the hazardous Area-51 to Hogwarts uniforms for four different Harry Potter Hogwarts houses. Even students and parents in the cars expressed their spirit by driving in their costumes and decorating their cars to fit the Halloween theme. A student who attended the event said, “I really enjoyed being able to see everyone’s costume because it made it feel like Halloween despite the current circumstances.”
Activities Director Mr. Todd Meulman, who organized the event, expressed his satisfaction with the impact of the Haunted Drive-Thru. He commented, “Any Activities event is about getting our community engaged and giving student leaders an opportunity to plan and implement a good time for all who attend. It was great to see students back on campus and having fun just being kids!” With the success of this event, Saint Francis plans to host another campus drive-thru in December for Christmas and has already started organizing the event, recruiting students and parents to work with different clubs. Now that the Lancer community has experienced the spooky Halloween atmosphere, it is time to prepare for the Christmas Drive-Thru on December 18 and 19!
