The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

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The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

Anderson celebrates his 17th annual Halloween Spooktacular

Providing+the+life+form+blood%2C+Honors+Chemistry+teacher+Joel+Anderson+pretends+to+cut+his+wrist.++I+gave+so+much+sweat+and+tears%2C+but+forgot+the+blood%2C+Anderson+said.
Alyssa Fleming
Providing the life form blood, Honors Chemistry teacher Joel Anderson pretends to cut his wrist. “I gave so much sweat and tears, but forgot the blood,” Anderson said.

Around Halloween time each year, you might hear small explosions or see smoke and lights from the edges of the door of room 1212. You might wonder what goes on inside. This is the product of Chemistry Teacher Joel Anderson’s Halloween Show.

“It’s so scary, I try not to think about it,” Anderson said to describe his Halloween Show. “It’s actually just a series of chemistry demonstrations that all follow a spooky theme.”

Even though he puts the Halloween Show on each year, it stays the same each time because of how long he has done it.

“This is the 17th year that I will have put it on. I added a few things the first five or six years, but now I have it down to where I like it,” Anderson said.

However, to be able to put on a spectacular show for his students each year, Anderson takes almost the entire month of October to prepare.

After creating a failed life form, Honors Chemistry teacher Joel Anderson decides to ship it to Parkway Central High School. "That's where the trash goes," Anderson said.
Alyssa Fleming
After creating a failed life form, Honors Chemistry teacher Joel Anderson decides to ship it to Parkway Central High School. “That’s where the trash goes,” Anderson said.

“I have to get lots of chemicals prepared, which takes almost the entire month, as well as laser alignment for the laser show at the end of it,” Anderson said.

Anderson has put on a total of 95 Halloween Shows in his teaching career. Forty of which, Biology Teacher Chris Azar has heard.

“I’ve taught across the hall from him for eight years, nine counting this year. He has done the Halloween Show every single year,” Azar said. “And it’s not a disturbance at all.”

Even amongst the dozens of chemical reactions and a class III laser show, Anderson is still able to include learning by explaining what the chemical reactions do and the products that are created.

“The first time I saw the Halloween Show was four years ago and I thought it was great. It was fun and interesting scientifically at the same time,” Azar said.

Though other teachers enjoy Anderson’s show, it is, after all, meant for student entertainment.

“I had Anderson my junior year for his honors chemistry class, and I loved his Halloween Show. It was fantastic. The coming of IUPAC [International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry] was the most intense thing I’ve ever had a teacher do for student entertainment,” senior Matt Soehngen said.

Even though he does it for student entertainment, his students are not the only ones who enjoy putting it on.

“I’ve always liked Halloween, and teaching gave me the opportunity to do something cool with it,” Anderson said. “The coolest thing is that all of my students find it entertaining and I always am able sneak some education into the fun; so they’re learning whether they like it or not.”

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Justin Cupps, CONCEPTUAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Grade:  12 Years on Staff:  4 If you were a fictional character, who would you be?  Beaker the Muppet Does the toilet paper go over or under on the roll?  Over. Under should be considered a war crime. How many alarms do you set in the morning to get up on time?  One, and I normally wake it up. Favorite Quote:  "Don't ever give up in freedom what we would never have given up in persecution! That is our witness to the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!" -Nik Ripken
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    WinnieNov 10, 2015 at 8:58 am

    Even if they brought a pack of k9 dogs into Anderson’s room, Azar wouldn’t hear it

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The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High
Anderson celebrates his 17th annual Halloween Spooktacular