Monsters mash at A.D. Johnston

By IAN MINIELLY

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Bessemer - The Halloween Processional in the A.D. Johnston junior and senior high school in Bessemer was the site of all manner of costumed kids and teachers wearing a range of costumes from the scary to the hip. The youngsters from the Washington School joined their older classmates for a processional through the gym, led by members of the Empire and Resistance from Star Wars, so everyone could see the costumes and then the middle and high school.

A.D. Johnston High School principal Dave Wineburner, dressed as Darth Vader, led the procession around the House of Noise like a dark, force-wielding Pied Piper. Tyler Busch, the 6-foot-6 junior righty, was naturally replete in a hairy Chewbacca costume opposite Jaidon Jakela's Princess Leia. Jakela pulled off the Leia costume with his side buns and princess clothing so well that somewhere in the universe a queen is missing her freedom saving outfit. Joey Rocco sported a Han Solo outfit while being flanked by two Stormtroopers named Cade Mazzon and Uriah Aili.

Jacalyn Schlies, the K-12 band director, led the middle school band through four appropriately themed scary sounding scores before the players swapped seats with the high school band who played and closed the show with Michael Jackson's "Thriller." As a special treat, the grade school students "flash mobbed" the school as if, the foulest stench was in the air, the funk of forty thousand years and grisly ghouls from every tomb were closing in to seal Bessemer's doom.