PITTSBORO — Spiderman, Sonic the Hedgehog and Elsa from “Frozen” marched around Pittsboro Monday to learn about local businesses and pick up treats along the way.
It was the 25th Pittsboro Elementary School Costume Walk. Kindergarteners and teachers dressed in Halloween costumes and visited more than 20 local businesses and county buildings as part of a social studies lesson about local goods and services.
“The local businesses really decorate for us, and we love doing this every year,” said Elizabeth Sturdivant, a kindergarten teacher at Pittsboro Elementary. “They put out like guided paths or themed decorations. The kids love getting to walk through a fun area and we love to see going above and beyond for the students.”
More than 90 kindergarteners participated in the Costume Walk this year. Students were escorted along the way by volunteers, their teachers — each dressed as different colored Crayons — while the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office assisted with traffic and guided students down the right path.
Stops included the Pittsboro Welcome Center, Chatham County Justice Center, Pittsboro Toys, United Methodist Church, the Register of Deeds Office and more.
Employees at many of the local businesses donned costumes for the holiday, but few were more dressed up than the administrators and staff at Chatham County Schools’ Central Services Building. At the home base for CCS, staff dressed as butterflies, witches and characters from different children’s books.
One of those characters was Clifford the Big Red Dog. The giant fur costume was donated to the office by Scholastic as part of what CCS called “Book-or-Treat.” Instead of the typical candy, CCS handed kindergartners books for their goody bags, with popular titles like “Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type” and “Diary of a Worm.”
Kindergartners paused to give Clifford big hugs and high fives as they picked up their books, apples and pencils from Central Services before making their way to the next business.
“Clifford, I love watching your shows,” one kindergartener said.
“You’re my favorite dog on TV,” said her classmate.
Monday was the first time Pittsboro Elementary could resume the Costume Walk since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The two-year pause on the Halloween celebration made this year especially exciting for students, teachers and local businesses.
“The students who weren’t able to do this walk are now in 3rd grade,” Sturdivant said. “It’s exciting having this be the first year we were able to bring this tradition back.”
Sturdivant described this year’s program as an overwhelming success. Perhaps unsurprisingly, kindergarteners thrilled in parading around town in costumes and collecting treats along the way.
The adults also got in on the fun, with several posting pictures of their kindergartener’s costumes to social media Monday.
“We arrrgh ready for our kindergarten community walk!” Jessica Spillman, a Pittsboro Elementary curriculum coach, tweeted. She and Strurdivant’s son both dressed as pirates for the Costume Walk.
With treats, books and tools of learning in their bags, the kindergarteners of Pittsboro Elementary started their Halloween on the right foot.
Reporter Ben Rappaport can be reached at brappaport@chathamnr.com or on Twitter @b_rappaport.