West-MEC students put skills to work for Trunk or Treat

It’s really fun to watch our students be so excited to be here, to give up one of their afternoons.”

— Tonya Rooth, campus administrator

West-MEC students put their career training to work on a different kind of project Oct. 16: transforming their school into a Halloween event for the community.

A large crowd of students, parents, teachers and local residents attended a free Trunk or Treat event at the district's Buckeye campus. The night combined student-built attractions and candy with a food drive benefiting St. Mary’s Food Bank.

Children of all ages joined the festivities, with many arriving in costume. West-MEC students dressed up alongside displays that connected Halloween themes to the fields they study.

Electrical trade students created a mock jail with a “Most Wanted” sign, while emergency medical technician students with fake wounds gathered around a mannequin on a stretcher, startling visitors who walked by.

Isaiah Mendoza, a second-year energy and manufacturing student, said his program’s display drew inspiration from the movie “Monster House.” The group expanded on a theme used last year by adding a maze.

“By far, this is our best work,” Mendoza said.

Putting the display together required students to divide into crews. Mendoza said the approach reflected the teamwork students would need on a maintenance crew.

“We’re always working together,” he said.

Campus administrator Tonya Rooth said students spent about two weeks preparing their displays. The event also gave students from different programs a chance to interact and take part in a friendly competition.

Visitors could vote for their favorite booth, with the winning group receiving a traveling trophy made by the campus’s welding instructor.

Rooth said teachers lead the event and participation is voluntary. That approach allows instructors and students to take ownership of their ideas and build on them each year.

The community service component extends beyond providing families with a fun Halloween event, as visitors were asked to bring a nonperishable food donation for St. Mary’s Food Bank in place of an admission charge. 

“This isn’t a fundraiser opportunity for them. This is a community service event,” Rooth said of the participating programs.

Last year’s event collected 1,620 pounds of food, enough to provide more than 1,300 meals.

For Rooth, the highlight of the evening was seeing students from different high schools find friends and connections in their programs. She admired the students for choosing to spend their Friday evening on campus after a full school day.

“I know there’s other things that they could be doing,” Rooth said. “But they still choose to be here.”

Noah Flug
Reporter | Litchfield Park and Goodyear

nflug@iniusa.org

Community: Litchfield Park and Goodyear

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Digital Audiences from Arizona State University

Random Fact: I only have one biological cousin.

Hobbies: Watching movies and TV, spending time with my friends, aspiring stoic.