Harbingers of the Haunted House
By Scott Brown, Learning Specialist and Ally Myers, Student Support Specialist
The Joy School haunted house project is a tradition as old as the school itself, and many hands have come together over the years to keep its bones strong and its blood pumping. But the lore of this daunting endeavor is a mystery to many of its attendees. From tarping a massive skeletal frame made of PVC pipe to leaping out of the shadows and frightening five years off a first grader’s life, attacking this project with the entire eighth-grade class is a formidable yet rewarding task encompassing every aspect of the academic process. Here is the inside scoop with all its gory details.
The Process
There are many steps in building a haunted house. It starts with little conversations throughout the year including students and teachers. Eighth-grade students must first collaborate on the theme for the year and keep it a secret from the lower classmen. For the first time, this year’s class opted to do things a little differently and chose not to have a set theme. The eighth-graders used this freedom to create their own spooky characters and dialogue. Since there are two versions of the haunted house: scary (for die-hard enthusiasts) and not scary (for those who like mild flavored boos), two sets of dialogue are necessary to separate the experience for each particular audience. You know—so we don’t give kids lifelong traumatic nightmares.
Once characters are formed and dialogue is established, we design the layout of the house and give each student a room or section to haunt. The frame or skeleton of the haunted house is made with PVC pipe and tarped walls are added later. The focus of the design is not only on entertainment but also safety and efficiency— much like building a sports car.
The characters in a haunted house are very similar to characters in a staged performance. Participants should feel the illusion of being transported to a place that is supernatural and a little bit spooky, but also enjoyable. Lines are practiced out of costume over and over and over again. The actors are pushed to the edge of their comfort zones by embodying their characters in full form. Dress rehearsals arrive just days before the event. The 8th graders practice both scary and non-scary versions until they master them both. The haunted house opens on carnival day. From early morning to the end of the school day, a month of hard work is put to the test as wave after wave of students pour in to have a frightful, memorable experience. Afterward, the eighth graders graduate with a conventional skill that only an eighth-grader can understand. And they have constructed a haunted house that they have only previously attended their whole Joy School career.
Why 8th Graders?
Building the haunted house is to date the largest student-involved school project that The Joy School has to offer. It is a rite of passage. For years, students who have not yet reached 8th grade often share their anticipation about their yearning to join the ranks of the undead. The haunted house involves many executive-functioning and job-based skills (such as using a hammer and doing a project of this scale) not often found on school grounds. This is their opportunity to put the skills Joy has taught them to use, as well as an opportunity for students to shine in ways they may not been able to in the classroom— from acting out a character they created to really bringing their vision to life.
Haunting a house is about cohesion. It is a process where students must put in just as much work individually and as they do working as a team. They must also learn to work with people they don’t necessarily see eye to eye with. Each student is responsible for creating their own “scary and non-scary” character, costume, and dialogue—and for may of them, acting is no easy feat. They must face the discomfort of becoming their monster while improvising through unpredictable situations— like costume mishaps and unexpected moments with kindergartners. They must learn to be flexible.
So What’s Next?
That’s a good question. The haunted house is hard work, but many who are passionate about the project have kept it going throughout the years. The eighth graders will always change. The volunteers will come and go. And up until the opening of the new Watt Activity Center, the location has always been up for debate. Now that we finally have a permanent home in the Flex Space at the back of the Kilgore Activity Center, the Haunted House promises to only get better and better every year. Still, the themes (or lack of a theme) will always differ from year to year. But like a bad horror sequel, the TJS haunted house project just won’t die. It’s here to stay.
To learn more about how Students with Learning Differences reach their academic and social potential visit our website or join us for a tour.