CHESAPEAKE — What would make high school students willingly show up at school after hours on a Tuesday evening and be excited about it? It would have to be Spooktacular.

For the past nine years the students at Chesapeake High School have worked together to make a safe and fun Spooktacular event for the elementary students and their families.

The high school students from the school’s different clubs and classes worked hard to prepare for last night’s event since September, under the direction of the technology and reading teacher, Kerry Carrico.

“Spooktacular” is a non-profit carnival made possible by the high school students, with games, crafts, free concessions, entertainment and a haunted hallway.

“The drama class put on the haunted hallway,” Carrico said, and they titled it ‘CarnEVIL.’ “It’s pretty scary. Our parents won’t even go through it sometimes.”

The speech class acted out skits based on books for the students, while the Spanish III class worked at a cactus ring toss and dunking booth. The art class created a pumpkin mural with carved pumpkins and lights to set the mood of the event. Carrico said there were 42 different things the children could enjoy.

“This is for the community to give the kids a safe trick-or-treat experience where they can come in and have fun, snacks and refreshments,” Carrico said. “It’s family time.”

The theme of this year’s Spooktacular was “The Fun House.”

Ryan Taylor, 11th grade student, has participated for three years, helping to set things up and prepare for the event.

“It’s a pretty big deal for the kids,” Ryan said. “I love doing it.”

Student Lindsay Blake, 11th grade, has also been involved for three years, helping in any way she can.

“We set up everything and tear down everything in one day,” Lindsay said. She said she especially enjoys helping with the games.

“I like the excitement of getting ready and seeing how much fun the kids have,” Lindsay said. “They always come back and play again.” She said she also enjoys the hair and face painting every year, as well as seeing costumes each year.

“There are always cute ones,” Lindsay said. “One was like a little Wonderbread.”

“It’s rewarding to see the students come together as a team and to see the kids faces ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘ahh-ing,’ and the parents get excited because of that, and it makes everything worth it.”

Everything was free with a donation of two canned food items, kicking off the annual food drive that goes through the month of November. During the first three weekends of November, the Proctorville and South Point Foodfair grocery stores, and the Chesapeake Save-A-Lot store will have donation boxes to allow the public to participate in the drive.

“One year we did 8,000 cans,” Carrico said.

Carrico said there is a big emphasis on volunteering and community service with the students throughout the school year, teaching the students to give of themselves.