By AMALIA KORTRIGHT/Staff Writer

CHELSEA-Chelsea High School students are hosting a Halloween Haunted High School event from 6 to 8 p.m on Oct. 30. Students from Chelsea Park Elementary, Forest Oaks Elementary and Chelsea Intermediate are invited to attend in their Halloween costumes.

“We had a couple of students last year who wanted to do something for the community,” said Chelsea High School Principal Wayne Trucks. “Since the community is so spread out, we wanted to open up the school for the elementary school kids in the Chelsea Zone.”

Students will have the opportunity to Trick or Treat at several classrooms in the school. A Monster Dash will be held, where children can race around the school. The race for kids in the second grade and under will take place at 6:45 p.m.

At 7 p.m., a separate race will be held for kids in the third grade and older. The lights will be dimmed, and student volunteers will hide in various locations to jump out and scare participants.

“There should not be any safety issues, because we’re not going to have anything too frightening. It’s not going to be too dark for the kids to see,” said Trucks.

Whataburger and Bojangles will be donating food. Haunted High School is sponsored by the Chelsea High School Yearbook Staff, the Student Government Association, Key Club and the Chelsea Ambassadors.

According to Trucks, Halloween Haunted High School was organized by students Keishace and Katahra Jackson. While faculty, staff and administration were willing to help, the event will be mostly run by students.

“They’ve really done an awful lot to make this event successful. This has been 99 percent student led, which is one of the neatest parts of it. If the students come up with an idea, [the faculty and administration] try to make it work. The students have done a very good job with this, so I think it will be fun.

While there is no price to attend the event, donations are requested to help raise money for Chelsea High School’s Relay for Life, which is scheduled to take place early next year.

“There aren’t a lot of neighborhoods in Chelsea with sidewalks, so we are thinking that this will be a neat fun and safe way to celebrate the holiday,” said Trucks.