Operation Pumpkin

The day before Halloween was filled with fun and excitement for members of Souhegan’s Ethics Seminar as they performed their 7th annual Operation Pumpkin.   Operation Pumpkin is a day focused on building positive relationships between teenagers and is performed by Souhegan High School’s Ethics Forum and Senior seminar for the students at Mont Vernon Village School.  They put on a hilarious educational play and a well choreographed dance.  The seniors then all gave decorated pumpkins to the students at Mont Vernon and hang out with them for the whole day. Students participated in crafts, played games together, and had lunch.  

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“It makes me feel good because it shows how they (high schoolers) care and that they come out and do activities with us.” ”

— Laurel

Souhegan seniors act as role models to the younger kids at the Village School.  Laurel Pozin who is the Mont Vernon Village School’s class president said, “I think that it (Operation Pumpkin) should keep happening because it shows the friendship between the high school students and the younger kids.” She also said that,  “It makes me feel good because it shows how they (high schoolers) care and that they come out and do activities with us.” Demonstrating how much it means to younger kids and the kind of positive impact meeting with a teenager can have .

Operation Pumpkin started seven years ago when the current Souhegan seniors were in elementary school. Katie Casey, a senior at SHS, who was an MVVS student for the first Operation Pumpkin, expressed how much it meant to her and her fellow students back then: “It meant a lot because it showed how the high school students cared enough to take time out of their day to show the kids something meaningful.” She also explained how much it means to her to now give back and “be able to show the younger kids life lessons.” It was easy to see how much it meant to the younger kids and the seniors, especially the seniors from Mont Vernon.

Souhegan senior, Cassidy Alger, was involved in Operation Pumpkin, but wasn’t a student at Mont Vernon said how much she was “looking forward to hanging out with the young kiddos” and Luke Berry said, “I enjoy playing with the kids and seeing them; it’s really fun.” This exhibits how the day was both a fun and meaningful event for all involved.