To a little kid, happiness is everything, and to be able to take part in their happiness is a gift. 

For the juniors of ILS, this meant dressing up in cute costumes and giving the kids so much candy they could have a lifetime of sugar rush. 

Children from schools like Holy Family, Saint James Catholic School, and St. Mary Cathedral School, had the opportunity to share with the ILS juniors in arts and crafts, storyland, dance parties, many games and activities, and most of all, trick or treating.

 Each junior paired with a child between the ages of pre-k to 1st grade.

They began their day with a hearty breakfast where students spoke to their kids and got to know them a little better. Then, the games began. After walking the entire ILS campus, the children gathered bags full of candy. They also participated in a photo booth designed by juniors, and enjoyed spooky  dance parties. 

Lastly,  the most liked activity, was sitting to enjoy an entertaining play conceived by juniors.  The kids left with smiles on their faces, and a bit of sadness in having to leave.

While extremely fun and heart warming, the activity did more than just fill a random Monday with laughs. The activity became a meaningful moment for all juniors. To be able to impact a child and bring him a day of happiness may sound absurd, yet it feels euphoric. 

This activity was meant to crumble the idea of social or economic division and encourage inclusion. The juniors learned to express love and kindness for others even when they might be different from themselves. Overall, the day was meaningful to both the juniors and the kids as well as the adults who stood in awe of the connection the class of 24 made with the kids in only three hours.

As the junior class inevitably grows up and tres to hold on to youth as hard as humanly possible, they see each other in the children because they remember what it meant like to only worry about how much candy they would get on Halloween and how to hide it from their parents. 

A rush of nostalgia floods in. To see their cute little eyes sparkle makes anyone’s day better, especially if you’ve left a mark on their life. The kids will grow up to remember that day as one of the best days of their lives, thanks to the junior class at ILS.