Best Buddies makes Halloween happen early

Rain did not dampen the spirits of about a hundred Saint Katherine School and Archbishop Carroll students who spent Wednesday afternoon in Carroll’s parking lot to start Halloween early during one of the biggest Best Buddies events in recent memory.

Costumed Carroll students decked out their car trunks in Halloween decorations and handed out candy to their classmates and their Saint Katherine friends during the event, called Trunk or Treat.

“As a first year teacher, I enjoyed seeing the commitment and time students put in to make this event as fun as possible for all the students,” said Mrs. O’Connor, who is a teacher at Saint Katherine’s. “My favorite part of the event was seeing Carroll students being open and making connections with the Saint Katherine’s students no matter how difficult it can be.” 

Best Buddies is a club in which Carroll students and Saint Katherine’s students to do activities, go to events, and hang out. Saint Katherine School is a special education school that is run by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and housed inside the Archbishop Carroll building.

Part of the Trunk or Treat festivities included contests. Saint Katherine’s kids held a contest for who decorated the cars the best. Seniors Megan Sheridan, Bridget Grazel, and Erin Egan got a winning number of eight votes for best decorated car with a graveyard look. 

Carroll students voted Nate Matos, who was dressed up as Michael Myers from the “Halloween” movies for best costume.

For one Saint Katherine student, neither the contests nor the candy and costumes were the best parts of the event. 

“The thing I liked most was dancing with Carroll students in the parking lot,” said Maria Guarino.

Carroll senior Mary Matey, a Best Buddies member, sounded grateful just for another opportunity to spend time with her Saint Katherine’s friends.

“I think anytime you hang out with the Saint Katherine’s kids you build a joy and happiness for them and grow to love them more and more,” Matey said.