It is a brisk, beautiful October day and everything appears to be normal. Cars rush by on Democracy, shoppers scurry around Giant, life in Bethesda continues as it should. There is one difference: Chipotle, Flippin’ Pizza and Subway are nearly deserted, as are the WJ hallways. Giant catapults fling pumpkins across the football field as costumed students look on and upbeat music fills the stands. This is no ordinary lunch hour. It can only be WJ’s singular celebration of pumpkin annihilation.

To any onlooker, Bad Day to Be a Pumpkin must appear absolutely bizarre. What other school devotes an entire lunch period to the destruction of a bright orange squash? Where else are Halloween and its signature vegetable celebrated with such gusto? The answer: no school and no where. Only WJ does, and we do it with pride.

What was the initial idea behind these festivities? How was Bad Day to Be a Pumpkin conceived and actualized? Art department resource and ceramics teacher Stephanie Ellis came up with the original idea about seven years ago and the event has essentially stayed the same since then.

“I just had this really wild idea and thought it would be fun to do something multidisciplinary, involving more than one department,” said Ellis. “It was just kind of crazy how many awful things you can do to a pumpkin.”

The event features the well-loved pumpkin catapults built by the Tech Ed department, the creatively carved pumpkins made by ceramics students and the messy and hilarious pumpkin pie eating contest sponsored by the SGA. This year’s additions included a costume contest run by the Physical Education department, where a narwhal, Superman, Ke$ha, Waldo and a “Nudist on Strike” battled for applause to win best costume.

Both Ellis and Tech Ed teacher Kevin Daney, who oversees catapult construction, agree that Bad Day to Be a Pumpkin has more benefits than simply a good time. According to students and teachers involved, both building the catapults and carving the pumpkins has notable educational value.

“For my students, building [catapults] is really hard, but education comes from working together in a team, having a good relationship with each other and having a good relationship with the teacher,” said Daney.

Tech students tackle the hefty engineering challenge of creating a full-size, functioning machine that can throw pumpkins several feet. In the Art department, students explore a new medium as well. Both yield impressive results.

“It’s a different texture, a different feel, so it’s definitely educational because we learn new things,” said junior Noga Raviv. “It’s just like any other art project, but a lot more fun, because it’s something new and it’s orange.”

Ellis believes even more could be done to include every department at WJ to maximize multidisciplinary participation. The event has potential to include more academic departments in innovative ways in the future.

“It would be great if we could figure something out with [the] science department or math department or English department,” she said. “We have some really creative people in this school. I’m sure they could figure out someway of joining us.”

It has fun, pumpkins and it’s educational: this squash soiree seems to have it all. Bad Day to Be a Pumpkin also unifies the WJ community through its lively learning atmosphere.

“We do it for unification, for [getting] everybody in one mindset, dressing up, and just having a good fun day,” said Daney.

Raviv agrees that it brings together the students and the school by providing a good time for all.

“It’s a high school experience,” said Raviv. “We’re all together, and it’s homey.”

Bad Day to Be a Pumpkin is a unique and distinctive tradition that WJ takes pride in and will continue to do so for years to come. This festival celebrates much more than any holiday or any fall-themed vegetable. It celebrates the achievements and creativity of WJ students and our one-of-a-kind spirit of community and fun.

“It started kind of as a joke, but it’s become a tradition,” said Ellis. “I’m sure other schools have traditions, but this is uniquely WJ.”