When the October air turns crisp and Halloween creeps closer, so does the Night of the Pumpkins (NOTP). Every year, members of the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) put in tremendous effort to deliver the widely anticipated NOTP; but how do they do it?
The week leading up to NOTP is arguably the most important (and demanding) week of the academic year for the NAHS. The event is a Lynbrook tradition centered around Halloween. Every year, the community comes together to celebrate with spooky games and activities, as well as viewing the approximately 150 glowing jack-o-lanterns created by the NAHS. None of this would be possible without the NAHS advisor and art teacher Michael Kunz along with the talented members of the NAHS.
Preparation for NOTP is an immense task. First, jobs are distributed amongst the NAHS, ranging from pumpkin maintenance to a DJ to face painting. Then, they vote on a T-shirt design created by one of their own members; the shirts will be worn on the night of the event by members and other volunteers throughout the night. The shirts are also put on sale at a T-shirt table the night of the event. Finally, decorations, supplies, activities, and everything else needed for a successful night is primed and set up. The process takes several meetings and contributions from every member.
Three nights before the event, a meeting is held to assess inventory. “The most important part of preparation is the inventory day the Wednesday before when [the NAHS goes] through all the supplies to determine what we have and what we need,” explained Kunz. In addition to organizing supplies, signs are created to label the activities offered throughout the night, the extra shirts are folded and set aside to sell, and candy is accounted for. Kunz, clipboard in hand, oversees students sorting through cardboard boxes and NAHS officers adding the finishing touches to raffle baskets. The NAHS officers are select members with varying roles and responsibilities such as being president, treasurer, and social media manager. Their efforts ensure everything runs smoothly. Senior Kamila Ramirez, NAHS’s communications officer, expressed, “Night of the Pumpkins is the busiest time of year for NAHS officers due to us having to fulfill our duties while also ensuring that we plan properly for our biggest event of the year. Officers purchase decorations, props, and gifts such as the raffle baskets.” Officers are also responsible for briefing new members to help them do their best on the big night.
The following day, students meet after school in the courtyard to hollow out pumpkins – a messy but crucial task. Anyone can volunteer, regardless of NAHS status. “I loved [the experience.] It was a great bonding session for me and my friends, and I met a lot of new people,” shared senior Cara Abraham. The result is roughly 150 scooped-out pumpkins, waiting and ready to be carved by NAHS along with eager-to-help friends and family. The pumpkins are then taken home, and that evening, members spend dedicated time to carving pumpkins; the next morning, more pumpkins are carved during set-up to ensure no pumpkin is left untouched.
On Saturday morning, everything comes together. The NAHS meets one more time before the event to decorate, set up, and finish carving the last of the pumpkins. They return as the sun is setting to take their places, ready to deliver Lynbrook’s annual NOTP.
Finally, when the last of the pumpkins are gone and the last guest leaves, the NAHS blows out the candles, and NOTP is over. Decorations are taken down, chairs are stacked neatly, and every trace of the spooky celebration is cleaned up and tightly packed away for the next year. Kunz takes the final attendance and dismisses the NAHS, leaving behind only him and the NAHS officers. The last task of the evening is to count the money, which the officers were responsible for throughout the night. A large fraction of the proceeds will go towards Island Harvest, a food bank that is dedicated to ending hunger in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
The NAHS works hard every year to transform LHS into the spooky Halloween celebration that has become a staple of Lynbrook October. From the luminous display of pumpkins to the Culinary Club’s baked treats, NOTP is a product of teamwork and dedication from all those involved.
