It’s 11 a.m. The bell has rung, and students are flooding in from classrooms, packing the halls tight. We are all headed towards the same place. 

The familiar sounds of teenage chatter and laughter echo around me as I pound down the steps. I push past kids to try and find a place for my backpack, feeling insignificant in the sea of bodies. We wait patiently for our turn to slide past the black and purple banners. Excitement lingers in the air, along with the smell of sugar, salt, and grease. Streamers in all shades of black and orange criss cross overhead, guiding the way to the various attractions that beckon with promises of Halloween delights. Anticipation radiates from students for the activities that wait for them behind the long lines, and the occasional rhythmic bounce of basketballs against the backboard echoes through the space. Twinkling orange and purple lights adorn the walls, casting an eerie glow that paints the school in a certain ambiance. Halloween has officially begun.

The Spooky Scrounge started out as a small gathering, but it has developed into a Halloween extravaganza that’s anticipated every year by all of New Trier High School since 2013. 

“You don’t have to spend money to attend or be in a big group,” Student Activities Coordinator Stacy Kolack says.

The event is put on by student council every year. The council puts in a lot of effort when decorating the school and coordinating club participation. Carrying on the tradition, this year they sold Lou Malnati’s pizza and used the money to fund their Northwestern University Settlement House family.

“As you’re reaching the end of the quarter, students are stressing over school and grades, and this is a perfect time for them to have fun,” senior Emma Atou, a student council member, says.

The annual event consists of games, free prizes, items for sale, food, music, and baked goods. It’s also a great opportunity for club promotion, with more than 20 clubs participating in 2023. Each club gets the opportunity to fundraise for a cause it supports by selling items or food, or giving out free items to make sure everyone at New Trier can participate in the fun. 

One of the clubs participating, Girl Up, sold apple cider and apple cider donuts. 

“This year, we’re raising money for the Pad Project, which gives funds to women in third world countries who need menstruation products,” senior Orlaith Buckley, a co-head of Girl Up, says.

Unlike Girl Up, Erika’s Lighthouse Club gave out items for free, but it didn’t diminish the importance of the club’s message, which is to raise awareness of mental health and the struggles that come with it.

“[This year] we’re [giving out] blow pops as ghosts, and our phrase with it is ‘mental health isn’t spooky’, so everyone knows mental health is nothing to be afraid of,” junior Ashley Ishaya, a member of Erika’s Lighthouse Club, says.

The positive environment that the Spooky Scrounge creates is definitely something that people look forward to, along with Girls Club’s signature cotton candy and Tri-Ship’s pop-a-shot game.

“Halloween is a nice way to have fun and let your hair down a bit,” Kolack says. “I love to see everyone coming down in costumes. It’s personally my favorite part.”