Breanna Nolen
Intern
Community High School organized their very first haunted trail on Oct. 22. The event consisted of a hayride, movie night, bonfire and a concession stand. This event was organized to cover some expenses for a cruise to Honduras students have the opportunity to take part in, in January 2026.
Mark Neil of Community High School’s Key Club planned the event with help from Skills USA, the Student Council, HOSA, Art League, National Honor Society (NHS), Science Bowl, and Future Farmers of America (FFA).
NHS, Science Bowl, and FFA all contributed to the snacks and drinks. There were hotdogs with ketchup, mustard, and relish, various drink options including hot chocolate to beat the cold, and S’mores.
The event included a movie night organized by CHS film studies teacher, Cam Pruitt, at the pavilion on a projector and screen that showcased A Quiet Place and Hocus Pocus.
Skills USA provided tremendous help. Many Skills USA students were outside tending to others participating in the haunted trail. They did various scary styles of makeup. One individual was a dead soldier with a huge bloody scrape on the side of his face. Another individual cosplayed as a killer clown, and many others just went with bloody makeup.
Each club had its own unique section in the trail. Student Council had an “active warzone” section; Key Club had “haunted folklore,” and Drama Club had a “slaughterhouse” section that consisted of a smoke machine and an actor with a chainsaw. Alongside scarers, there were students simply acting to give some downtime to people going through the woods.
The hayride travelled down 41A to Community Middle School and then through Oak Circle, Crowell Road, Halls Mill Road, and Unionville-Chapel Hill Road. Despite the cold, the students enjoyed the Halloween decorations in people’s yards. It really set the mood for this upcoming spooky holiday.
Getting off the hayride, people headed over to the bonfire to warm up. The chilly wind from the ride left people shivering. While sitting around the flame, people roasted hotdogs and S’mores while spending time together. Lots of conversation happened and it was a great way for students to spend quality time.
The money will specifically help cover the cost of substitutes, transportation, and the expenses of extra excursions.
The event also allowed students unable to afford the trip to earn a seat by volunteering at the haunted trail.
Many students showed up to the haunted trail and enthusiastically rode a second time. You could hear the screams of teenagers and the conversations as they passed through the dark trail. Towards the end, the chainsaw frightened people. When they had completed the trail, you could see the teens’ relief and excitement as they walked to the pavilion to watch the movies on display.
