Students Share Some Scarecrows

That Will ‘Haunt’ NMS Starting Next Weekend

By Eliza Hallabeck

Next weekend the front lawn at Newtown Middle School will once again be decorated with spooky, fun, and whimsical creations.

This year’s “My Favorite Scarecrow Sculpture Contest” will be set up October 22 and will be open for voting through Saturday, October 29.

Each year eighth grade student groups are challenged to create a larger-than-life scarecrow, designed to frighten away a demon of their choice, that can withstand inclement weather. Each student group is limited to spending $25 on its scarecrow. The creations are then put on display on Newtown Middle School’s front lawn on Queen Street, voted on by the public for $1 per vote, and the top three winning scarecrow groups receive the profits to donate to a charity of their choice.

The Scarecrow Sculpture Contest is open to only eighth grade students, and the students work in groups to build scarecrows that follow the guidelines and requirements of the contest.

On Tuesday, October 11, some of NMS’s art enrichment students shared their groups’ scarecrow ideas with The Bee. Gifted and Talented Education Students (GATES) are also involved in creating scarecrows for the project each year.

Ashley Gong, who is working with three other students, Julia Faxon, Alicia Hawke, and Julia Preszler, said the group started working on the project about a week or two ago.

“We’re going to do a hand with a globe in it,” said Ashley, later adding, “to scare away pollution.”

Brittney Antous said her group is on a “fun” scarecrow. 

“We are doing kind of a melting monster,” said Brittney. “It’s going to be a big hot chocolate cup with melting marshmallows inside, some escaping, some getting eaten by the cup, and some that have already escaped.”

Allison Morrell and Christina Moore are working with Brittney on the project.

The group is still working toward completing the scarecrow, but Brittney said it may include steam or moving arms.

Other students shared ideas of their scarecrows on Tuesday. From a Deceptacon from the Transformers franchise to a Tweety Bird on a swing, the students Newtowners can be ready for a range in scarecrows this year.

Most of the students reported they have a significant amount of work left to complete before the scarecrows can go on display, but all sounded hopeful they would be completed on time.

Lukas Polumbo, who is working with Monica Faust and Megan Olszewski on a large shoe to scare away smaller shoes, said he thinks the project overall is “a really cool idea, and the town gets to appreciate it, so it is really cool.”

As one of the teachers overseeing the project, Claudia Mitchell said despite being short a week in the school year due to Tropical Storm Irene, the students have been “on task” for the project.

“I’m very confident they are going to be absolutely spectacular yet again,” said Ms Mitchell.