The holidays at Oak Knoll come with rich tradition, and this past Halloween season saw an addition made in its annual festivities, sparking excitement across campus. After years of students awaiting their senior year for the opportunity to rep their Halloween costume at school, the privilege was finally extended to the rest of the Upper School. Aiming to further engender inclusivity in the Oak Knoll community, the new tradition gave students the chance to embrace their creative sides and assemble a costume to display to their classmates and teachers. Students shared joy and laughter as the extension of this tradition allowed students to reconnect with their nostalgic childhood memories of dressing up at school, a feeling many have been devoid of since elementary school. Reviving this feeling did not only grow students’ enthusiasm and excitement for Halloween itself, but also for approaching Oak Knoll traditions this year.
However, in an effort to maintain some tradition, the annual Halloween Parade remained as a senior privilege. Seniors showcased their costumes, parading through campion and the lower school, evoking laughter and smiles from the audience. A few of the many creative costumes seniors dressed up as include Oompa Loompas, The Wizard of Oz, founding fathers, Rory Gilmore and Paris Geller, and inflated-sloths. Additionally, another Halloween tradition that seniors enjoyed the pleasure of carrying on is the Trunk or Treat. Each year, seniors fill the parking lot, load their festively-decorated trunks with candy of all kinds, and watch as their younger classmates scurry from one car to the next, trick-or-treating. The return of this event lit up campus and similar to dressing up, the tradition brought students back into touch with their younger selves on the holiday. New editions to Oak Knoll’s Halloween festivities excite campus this year.