Treats for Campus Children

Full of excitement and anticipation the two- and three-year old children at the Child Development Center on the Yuba College campus were waiting for their provider, Joe Moyer, who was dressed as an enlarged clown, to open the gates to candy heaven. As the door to the classroom opened, exposing the bright sun of Halloween morning, the children took their first steps in a march for sugary treats.

The children’s first stops were in Warren Hall where they lined up side by side and said in unison “trick or treat” to the staff with buckets of candy. The staff cooed over the adorable fairies, ninja turtles, superheroes and witches while dropping sweets into the children’s bags and jack-o-lantern buckets.

“I enjoy having the children being able to dress up in their costumes,” said Moye. “It makes this a more lively, more imaginative and creative place, because the kids actually become their costumes.

“On this day they will become part of blues clues,” Moye continued. “They will be spider-man. It’s a very good imaginative and creative process for the children”

Once the children were in a trick or treating rhythm, they headed toward the cafeteria, where cashier Rachell Addington stood anticipating their arrival. As soon as the children walked into the large building, Addington’s face lit up. The children walked over to her with candy on their minds. Addington passed out candy and complemented each child on his or her costume, one by one.

“It’s great that the college takes part in Halloween,” said Yuba College student Lisa Anderson, as she watched the trick or treaters in the cafeteria while eating breakfast. “It shows that school cares about the children of the students that attend. Just look at how happy the children are.”

The next stop for the children was the campus bookstore. When the bookstore employees were informed that the masked youngsters were on their way, they quickly put on their costumes and set the Halloween mood by dimming the lights in the building. After the candy was cheerfully passed out, the children headed over to the administration building.

Once inside the administration building, the group made plenty of stops, accepting treats from many friendly staff members. The colorful trick or treaters made their way through the well-decorated counseling area and headed back to the CDC building.

Inside the CDC the children entered their room and sat in a circle while examining the goodies they had acquired within the hour. The grin-bearing two- and three-year olds started to consume some of their treats while the four- and five-year olds were getting ready for their candy run.

Faye Lewis was the leader of the rambunctious older group. “I like that the college is participating and recognizing that the children are important. It’s an important time of year for the children,” said Lewis. “I really enjoy the fact the while doing this, the children get to explore the campus and what’s on the campus.”

As soon as Lewis opened her door, the children leaped out the gates as if they were rabbit-chasing greyhounds. Though this group was just a year or two older than the first trick or treaters, their pace was amazingly four times as fast. Zooming through Warren Hall with excitement, the children made it to the cafeteria in what seemed like Mach 5 speed.

After leaving the cafeteria, the group’s trick-or-treating expedition led them through the campus library and into the administration building. After exiting the administration building, Lewis announced that the group would be entering the “haunted hallway,” and if any children did not want to go through, they would be escorted to the bookstore where they would meet up with the rest of the group.

Not one child left the group as they entered the “hunted hallway.” Once the whole group made it through, they made their way to the bookstore where they were read a story by the bookstore staff. As the children listened quietly to the story, they rummaged through their bags of candy and enjoyed a perfect Halloween morning.