Carbondale High School students bring scares to SIU’s Haunted Hollow

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

JACKSON COUNTY, Ill. (KBSI)— A longtime Halloween tradition at Southern Illinois University’s Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center brought families together Sunday, with a group of local high school students helping bring the scares to life.

Haunted Hollow returned Oct. 25 with a haunted hayride, pumpkin painting, archery, a climbing wall, creepy critters and other family-friendly activities.

Brian Croft, director of Touch of Nature, says the event has grown significantly since it began nearly 20 years ago.

“I remember the very first Haunted Hollow 20 years ago, and it was so funny because we had, like, 50 people show up and we were like, this thing is huge,” Croft said. “And so the fact is, today we’re going to see hundreds and hundreds of people. To see it grow has been so great.”

Croft says the goal has always been to create a Halloween experience for visitors of all ages.

This year’s haunted hayride featured 12 students from Carbondale Community High School who volunteered their Sunday to serve as scare actors.

The partnership brings together Touch of Nature, the Carbondale Park District and the high school. The park district provides a trailer and driver, while students bring the haunted experience to life.

Macklen Makhlogi, a speech, improv and sketch comedy coach at Carbondale Community High School, says Touch of Nature reached out to the school’s fine arts department in search of student volunteers.

The students began discussing the opportunity in August, but much of the preparation came together after the school’s fall play wrapped up.

Despite the short turnaround, Makhlogi says the students took ownership of their performances, creating their own costumes and makeup rather than relying on materials offered by the school’s theater department.

“They took a field trip here this past Friday. Spent all day setting up and we did a little practice, a little trial run,” Makhlogi said. “And then, yeah, then they went to their own devices. They were able to come up with something pretty great.”

One student even stayed up until 2 a.m. creating a mask for the event.

Beyond the costumes and scares, Makhlogi says the experience provided an opportunity for students to learn about community service.

“We’ve really tried to impress upon them that as much fun as they’re having today, this really is about community service, and that’s how we presented it to them,” Makhlogi said. “I think it’s educating them as human beings first and foremost. It’s making them more compassionate. It’s making them more selfless.”

Croft says the partnership also gives students a chance to practice their performance skills outside the classroom while contributing to a community event.

“They’re doing what they love, but they’re also giving back to the community,” Croft said.

Makhlogi says the students also experienced some of the less glamorous parts of performing, including spending hours outdoors in costumes and makeup.

“It wasn’t just their time. They donated it. It was effort and it was energy, and it was a willingness to spend a Sunday being uncomfortable, to make other people happy,” Makhlogi said.

What’s next for the students?

The students’ performances won’t end with Haunted Hollow.

Makhlogi says Carbondale Community High School recently announced that its spring musical will be *Cinderella*.

The school’s Terriers Live improv club is also preparing for a comedy show at the Varsity on Dec. 17, with additional improvisational performances planned throughout the school year.

Makhlogi and fine arts department chair Eric Berry are also launching a new sketch comedy club, with hopes of putting on a student performance near the end of the school year.

As students continue preparing for those productions, Croft hopes Haunted Hollow leaves families with an appreciation for spending time together outdoors.

“Life gets kind of hectic and sometimes a walk outside does a lot of good stuff,” Croft said. “And so to see families and grandparents and kids in costumes and they’re playing and climbing trees, like that’s what we need more of.”