What do Cookie Monster, a golden pufferfish, and a preserved “head in a jar” all have in common? Well, they were all grade-level winners of the annual Benjamin Middle School Pumpkin Contest!

The aspect that makes this fun and traditional advisory contest unique is that students are not allowed to carve the pumpkins. . Each advisory brings in one (and only one!) pumpkin, chooses a theme or character, and decorates it any way the students want. However, the only the pumpkin and whatever is attached to it are judged. If the students have a themed background display or decorations not attached to the pumpkin, such elements are not included in the judging.

“The pumpkins that get put out are so creative,” said Danielle Benvenuto, Benjamin’s student services counselor for grades four through eight. Benvenuto has organized the contest for the past seven years. “I think my favorite one was a beehive,” she said. “The pumpkin was a beehive and there were bees attached to it. If I were a judge, I would definitely look for creativity, originality, and teamwork.”

Of course, Benvenuto picks the judges each year, which are usually two or three TBS staff members or former faculty members. However, no one knows who the judges are until after the contest.

The pumpkins are set up in the quad to be judged. This year, the contest will be on Wednesday, October 28. for a contest and judged by staff or former faculty whose identity is kept a secret until The judges are kept a secret until the pumpkins are done. The pumpkins are to be judged on Wednesday October 28. The most creative and best decorated pumpkins in each grade level – six, seven, and eight – are named the wins the contest winners.

Last year’s winners, Mrs. Ponchock’s advisory (sixth), Ms. Gleason’s advisory (seventh) and Mr. Crisafi’s and Mr. Keller’s advisories (eighth) were crowned the champs. As a result, the students received free ice cream and on with their pumpkin decorated as cookie monster and got free ice cream and also got were recognized at assembly the following Monday. No word on what the winners will get this year, but Benvenuto promises it will be a “special treat.”There is a winner from each grade and Ms. Gleason and Coach Keller along with Mrs. Ponchock won last year. This year, the winning advisory will get a “special treat.”

Although Benvenuto organizes the event, Head of Middle School Mr. Charles Hagy enjoys the contest not only because of the creativity that is put on display, but because of the camaraderie the contest encourages.

“The pumpkins are judged objectively and blindly, meaning the judges don’t know what advisory did which pumpkin.” said Hagy. “I love the tradition of this contest. I think it is a great team-building activity and it is a chance for advisories to bond. This is not meant to a very competitive thing, but more of a chance for a celebration of the Middle school.”