Another year, another highly successful Night of the Pumpkins. It was a cool October evening as LHS’s finest art students prepared for the National Art Honor Society’s (NAHS) biggest event of the year. The field outside the cafeteria was lined with over 70 hand-carved pumpkins, each one emitting a unique glow with the slow sunset in the background and representing the individuality of its creator. While no two pumpkins were exactly alike, each one was made for the same purpose: to raise money.

“I am always proud to see the show the kids put on year after year, but the best part is watching them use their talents for the greater good,” says NAHS’s Advisor Michael Kunz.

This was the NAHS’s ninth year promoting its pumpkin fundraiser, and it continued the tradition of putting on an impressive show. With each pumpkin selling for ten dollars, a grand total of $6,656 was raised for hurricane relief efforts. Overall, this was one of the Night of the Pumpkins’ most successful years. Each carved masterpiece had something different to enjoy. Some proudly represented beloved pop-culture characters such as Stranger Things’ Eleven and the most recent Disney heroine, Moana. Characters from Star Wars, Harry Potter, and The Nightmare Before Christmas made some appearances as well. Other students embraced their creativity by developing their own designs, such as an open mouth shaved into the pumpkin’s surface, and the fierce face of a tiger. Senior NAHS member Grace O’Dwyer even carved the face of Michael Kunz onto her pumpkin.

“For my first Night if the Pumpkins, I was really impressed to see the huge amounts of visitors we had and how much was raised in only a couple of hours,” says senior Lauren Cleary.

Each pumpkin was viewed by hundreds of visitors who walked the high school’s grounds that night, but the lineup of jack-o’-lanterns outside was only half of the fun. Within the school’s walls, dozens of NAHS members waited for the first guests. At their service were several stations for kids to enjoy with their families and friends. From face painting to fortune tellers, there was no shortage of entertainment that night. Crista EsposiBy Lindsay Marrione Staffto, president of the National Art Honor Society, shared her favorite part of the Night of the Pumpkins: “talking with the families that participate and discuss with me how much they enjoy this event and can’t wait for next year.”

Despite the sheer enjoyment of producing an event like Night of the Pumpkins, what happens behind the scenes is oftentimes more important. Due to the recent series of hurricanes that devastated areas such as Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, millions of people have been in desperate need for several months. Each year, the NAHS decides where it wants to send its funds, and the needs of the hurricane relief stood out the most. By extending a helping hand to the victims of these disasters, NAHS proved its dedication to not only producing, in the words of Kunz, the “finest finest” art, but also to helping those in need.