Spooky times at Kellogg High

KELLOGG — Over the next few weeks, Kellogg High School will transform itself from a simple place of learning into something far more sinister.

The KHS leadership class proudly presents Forsaken, a one-night-only haunted house experience, unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

Leadership team Adam Ream and his crew are pulling out all the stops, featuring seven different haunt zones, a total darkness maze, and 40-plus student actors.

“The idea was to create a more safe and legal thing for the kids to do during the Halloween season,” said Adam Ream, KHS leadership teacher.

With haunted houses making a strong comeback, including popular local attractions like Scarywood, the leadership students wanted to find something that they could do for their community that would benefit the teenagers — a group that largely gets missed during Halloween.

“This was something we could do for all of the teens in the Valley,” said Haylee Potts, ASB vice president. “There’s always stuff for the littler kids, but unless you can get to a place like Scarywood, teens kinda get left out.”

Drawing inspiration from several Halloween movies, as well as other haunted house attractions, the students are hoping that folks have a terrifyingly fun encounter during their time in the fray.

No shortage of effort has been put into getting Forsaken ready to go — but the students are excited to be bringing something new to the community.

“It’s taken a lot of work, a lot of planning and a lot of Amazon orders,” said Katy Meier, senior class president. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

That isn’t to say that there won’t be anything for the little kids this Halloween at KHS — in fact, it’s quite the opposite.

“We will be having the kids from Canyon Elementary and Pinehurst Elementary out here on Halloween for a classroom-to-classroom trick ‘r treat,” said Nate Turner, ASB president.

Unlike previous years when the school hosted an evening festival, this year the students will be bussed to the school during the day and encouraged to wear their costumes as they make their way through the school.

Each classroom will have a room decorating contest in the lead-up to the event, so the elementary kids will have the opportunity to see their older peers in a fun and spooky light.

“All of the previous events came down to if parents were willing to drive their kids to the school,” Ream said. “So instead we’re doing it during the day, the kids will trick ‘r treat around the building and then they head back to their schools.”

“We wanted to make sure we did something for the younger kids, the haunted house will be for the middle school-aged kids and up, but this will give the little kids a chance to come up here for Halloween,” Potts said.

There will also be a small carnival for the elementary kids in the gymnasium while other groups make their way through the building.

“The goal is to make people proud of Kellogg High School because it’s felt like there has been a lack of pride and spirit for a few years,” Ream said.

Kellogg High School’s leadership class is looking for candy donations for the trick ‘r treat event, as well as financial donations to help make sure they have all of the costumes and supplies for the haunted house.

The “Forsaken” haunted house event will be held on Oct. 22, from 8-11 p.m.

The elementary school trick ‘r treating will be on Halloween day.

For more information, please call 208-784-1371.