Like it does every year, the Westmoreland Central School District’s Zone for Imagination, Innovation and Inspiration (Zi3) brought families together for some Halloween fun.
During the evening of October 22, the Zi3 hosted “Halloween Family Night,” its first family night of the year. Due to COVID-19, the event, open to families with student participants in grades K-8, was held virtually. 
Families completed a variety of Halloween-themed activities related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). The activities were chosen, and materials were sent home, in advance. Activities included:
Halloween Cat Painting with Mrs. Bevins – students were sent home with six paint colors, brushes and canvas. Step-by-step, Mrs. Bevins helped students create a beautiful night time scene of a cat in the moonlight.
Light Up Haunted House with Mrs. Davis – students were sent home with a pizza box, orange paint, paint brush, LED candle and cut out of a black haunted house. Students created a haunted house shadow box with Mrs. Davis and then added their own favorite Halloween decorations like bats, scary trees and the moon.
Capture A Fire Tornado with Mr. Pacicca – students learned how a tornado vortex can be created connecting two soda bottles, red lamp oil and water. They also learned about the density of different liquids and how they can react to each other.
Tasty Engineering Challenge 1 – students were given a photograph of a pumpkin patch and used pudding, Oreos and pumpkin candy corn to recreate the design. Of course eating the pumpkin patch was great, too!
Tasty Engineering Challenge 2 – students were given a photograph of an owl and used a cupcake, chocolate frosting, Oreos and M&M’s to recreate the design. Those owls were pretty tasty!
"I’m glad the family night carried on,” Mrs. Davis, Zi3 coordinator, said. “While nothing beats gathering in person, families were still able to explore STEAM through a variety of fun, engaging activities, just like they would have if they were in the classroom.”
“COVID-19 has changed our lives in so many ways,” Mrs. Davis added. “That’s why it’s important we still find ways to test students’ critical thinking and problem solving skills and challenge them to be as creative as possible.”
As always, “Halloween Family Night” would not have been possible without the support of so many. The Zi3 greatly thanks everyone who played a role, especially the teachers who volunteered to lead an activity, including Mrs. Bevins and Mr. Pacicca, as well as Mr. Haskell, Mr. Migliori, Mr. Polera and the Board of Education. A big thanks to the 40 students and their families who participated as well!
The Zi3’s next family night, “Santa’s Workshop,” is scheduled to take place on December 3. It will also be held virtually.