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Ismael Mawfal and Eugenia Chung have a ghoulish encounter at the All Hill Halloween.

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Jason Kaminsky, first-year undeclared, hands out candy to elementary school students from the Nickerson Garden housing development in South Central.

The residence halls experienced a Harry Potter moment last night. Mini ghouls, witches and monsters roamed through the halls and lounges of UCLA dormitories with candy on the brain: it was time, once again, for All Hill Halloween.

The event, sponsored by the Office of Residential Life, brought inner-city elementary students from the Los Angeles area into the dorms to celebrate Halloween with trick-or-treating and games, said Tere Valenzuela, media relations for the ORL’s Halloween Committee.

Students from community centers are also invited to participate in the festivities.

“The event started so that we could have a safe place for inner-city elementary students to trick-or-treat,” said Cheryl Sims, Assistant Director of Program Services.

The event has been taking place for 14 years, and residence halls, as well as children, have always been willing to join in. This year, 2,296 dorm rooms participated in the event, Sims said.

Hall residents looked forward to the event.

“I know Halloween was a fun time for me, and I like to see (the children’s) faces light up,” said Erika Noriega, an first-year undeclared student and resident of Hitch Hall.

Noriega, and all participating residents, paid for the candy they distributed to the elementary students.

Some residents served as tour guides, walking groups of children to each room.

“We’re going to have two tour guides per 10 kids,” said Amanda Michalek, a third-year English student and tour guide.

“(Tour guides’) costumes are optional, but everyone is going to dress up,” she stated before the event.

Rieber Hall added to All Hill Halloween by having an inter-floor decorating competition with Krispy Kreme donuts as the prize.

“We broke the floor into halls, the study lounge and common area ... and came up with a design for the floor,” said first-year theater student Megan Trimble of her involvement in the competition.

Even the fraternities got involved in the event by bussing the elementary students from pick-up points to the residence halls, Sims said.

The students were separated into groups, going to the particular residence halls assigned to them.

With the floors decorated, students ready with bowls of candy, and children flocking into the dorms, All Hill Halloween began.

Lounges were turned into activity centers where the children participated in games and met UCLA athletes who signed autographs.

Participating residents posted signs on their doors, welcoming the children to knock on their door and collect Halloween loot.

Some of the children’s parents accompanied them to the event as escorts.

“We like it because it’s a safe place to bring our kids, and the students really seem to enjoy it. The faculty bring their children here too,” said Lori Vogelgesang, whose husband was a resident director.

Vogelgesang, an employee of the Graduate School of Education in information studies, brought three of her children to trick-or-treat at UCLA.

The dorm residents helped make the event a success by being enthusiastic about both the effects it had on the children, and the fun of Halloween.

“I’m working with kids because I really like working with (them). Besides, we get to dress up, which is always fun,” said Allison Murphy, a first-year undeclared student.

The positive response from the elementary students, as well as recognition from teachers, was encouraging and suggested a bright and lasting future for All Hill Halloween.

“A lot of the kids don’t get a chance to go out trick-or-treating. It’s a way for them to have fun in a safe way. I would say that it’s one of the things they look forward to every year,” said Tezrah Dyson, special education teacher’s assistant at Barrett Elementary School.

With reports form Jessica Chung, Daily Bruin Contributor.

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