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Students in Action provide a place to ‘Trick-or-Suite’
(by Lisa Kintish - November 12, 2008)
On Oct.30, Mischief Night, a time when some young people think it amusing to cause havoc with toilet paper and eggs, a group of teens with a different idea about what is entertaining, assembled at the Embassy Suites in Parsippany. The teens were engaged in an activity designed to give back to the community, not upset it, by helping to provide a trick-or-treating experience for young children who might otherwise miss out on the fun.
Working in conjunction with United Way of Morris County’s High School Students in Action, SiA, the teens’ goal was to transform an ordinary suite at the hotel into a festive room for Halloween. It was all part of Embassy Suite’s annual Trick-or-Suites event in which companies and organizations are each responsible for decorating a suite. On Halloween, children from P.G. Chambers School, a United Way member agency, trick-or-treat from suite to suite, enjoying the safe and handicapped-accessible environment. SiA has been involved since 1994.
The high school students, not all of whom were members of SiA, decorated the room to resemble a miniature version of the Beijing Olympics. The day before Halloween, Elisa Scott, a senior at Parsippany High School was busy painting the Olympic rings on a banner. She was participating in the Trick-or-Suite with her church, the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, as she has done since she was a freshman.
What keeps her coming back? The kids. In particular, Scott loves the looks on their faces. She also enjoys when a child enters the room as shy and leaves with a big smile.
Scott said, “I’ve never missed trick or treat since I was 4. To think some of these kids can’t, it’s sad, so I’m glad we can give them this.”
This was the first Trick-or-Suite for Molly De Smedt, a freshman at Boonton High School. Like Scott, she is a member of the youth group at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship.
“I’m glad I came. It’s always good to help out with this kind of stuff. I’m sad I won’t see [the children]. I’m glad to be doing this, glad people started it,” she said.
De Smedt believes most teens would volunteer if their friends were involved and that they did not have to travel out of their way in order to do it. She said that she would encourage other teens to do this, starting with her friends and letting the word spread from there.
“I think the reason most kids don’t [volunteer] is they don’t know about it,” De Smedt opined.
Also prepping the suite prior to the big day was Andrea Alarcon of Wharton. The senior at Morris Hills High School joined the activity because her friends have done it and loved it. “I know the kids aren’t able to [trick or treat] outside, so it’s great to have them participate in Halloween in a much safer environment,” observed Alarcon.
A member of SiA, Alarcon loves the organization and said she would recommend it to anyone, saying, “It helps other people.”
Alarcon was already looking ahead to the next activity later this month in which she will be volunteering at a food kitchen. Joining her will be Edison Ruiz, also a senior at Morris Hills and a SiA member.
As for the Halloween project, Ruiz said, “I heard people at school talking about it. I knew they helped people out, so I wanted to be part of it. It makes me feel good because I know I’m helping kids have Halloween.”
On Halloween day itself, other teens were helping to give out candy and small replicas of Olympic Medals. Helping with this activity was Samantha Spector, a freshman at Morris Hills and part of Morristown Unitarian Fellowship
“I’m glad I was here to see the kids’ faces light up when they received candy or make a basket,” she said referring to the small basketball hoop.
She added, “I’m glad to know I was making someone’s day.”
For Ally Becker of Rockaway Township, the joy of Halloween was not just from seeing the little trick-or-treaters, but also her younger, fellow volunteers, who remind her of herself a couple of years ago.
Said the Morris Knolls High School junior, “It’s cool to see the younger kids than me get involved.”
Also part of the Morristown church group, Becker enjoys the camaraderie of working with the other teens and said she likes the feeling of contributing something to the community.
Yes, on a night when some teens devote themselves to mischief, it is reassuring to know there that are also those looking to improve our world.
Lisa Kintish can be contacted at kintish@northjersey.com.
Photo courtesy of Kristin Coleman
United Way of Morris County’s High School Students in Action (SiA) participated in the 17th annual “Trick-or-Suite” Halloween event on Friday, Oct. 31. Hosted by Embassy Suites in Parsippany, “Trick-or-Suite” provided students of P.G. Chambers School, a United Way member agency, with a safe and handicap-accessible environment to enjoy trick-or-treating.
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