Gallery • 12 Photos

The ghoul at the end of the haunted house. Spooky!

“Maniboo” is a tradition at Manitou Springs High School that takes place around Halloween each year. Children from both district 14 elementary schools come to play games, win prizes and get a good scare if they dare to enter the haunted house. This year, Maniboo was held on October 26 from 4-8 PM inside of the high school’s Jack Willie Gym.

Walking into Maniboo, students are greeted by spooky decorations and witches behind the ticket booth. Three tickets cost one dollar and can be used for every game and activity within the event. The proceeds go to Manitou’s Parent Action Committee (PAC).

The gym held a giant bouncy castle, a pie toss and a haunted house, as well as several carnival games. Teachers from Manitou Elementary stood in the pie toss behind a plastic sheet with oval cutouts for their faces. Students paid three tickets to throw a pie at their teachers’ faces. There was a “fishing pond” where kids could cast their fishing pole and “catch” a book. The books were donated by the Bookman, a local bookstore.

Students also had the opportunity to put their friends in jail at Maniboo. They would give the jailer their tickets, who would then announce the friend’s name on the main speaker as a summons.

PAC also set up an adults-only raffle. Raffle tickets were two dollars. Christina Krych, PAC volunteer, said that all raffle items were donated or handmade from local businesses or parents. Emma Harris, PAC member explained that the money gathered from the raffle and ticket sales go towards a fundraising program for the elementary school teachers. This year, they are trying to fund a violin program for the students.

Lastly, there was a haunted house. Student volunteers who acted in the haunted house were Nate Perry (9), Kaitlyn Davidson (11), Mo Heiniger (12), and PAC member Ann Huddleson helped facilitate the tours. Huddleson made sure all who entered got a good scare. Groups of adults and kids were led into the basement of the school, affectionally nicknamed “The Dungeon” by MSHS students. On the descent down it was pitch black. After a while, strobe lights lit the path, illuminating zombies, shrunken heads and ghosts.

This year’s Maniboo was a success, and volunteers and parents alike were able to see many creative costumes, including a banana and a crash test dummy.