October is an exciting month for Academy students with five events helping the Aloha United Way.

From Oct. 1 to 31, the lower school will be conducting its annual Coins For a Cause. Each class has the task of collecting loose change or any other coins they can gather.

The lower school student council encourages each class to create posters, keeping track of their current amount. The class which collects the highest amount will be thrown a popsicle party.

The high school will sponsor a Dress Up/Down day on Oct. 17. Students have the option to dress up or down for the contribution of three dollars.

To get the student body hyped for Halloween, the high school student council is sponsoring a door decorating contest during the week of Oct. 20 to 27 for homerooms in grades 7 to 12. Students must incorporate their Halloween concept with this year’s theme of  “Oldies but Goodies.”

Prizes will be awarded to homerooms which display the most creativity, best uses of humor, ideal use of the Oldies but Goodies theme, the best use of handmade/hand drawn elements and the greatest overall door.

After Dress Up/Down day is Unity Day on Oct. 22. Students will dress in the color orange. Participation is free. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness for anti-bullying.

A new event being introduced to the high school is the “Please Fund Me Teacher” campaign. Each homeroom is asked to donate a dollar or more to reach the schoolwide goal of two hundred dollars. If reached, the chosen teacher will be given a challenge or a dare that must be accomplished during the week of Halloween.

Also coming up is the annual Aloha United Way Snack and Bake Sale. Families are asked to donate goods to be sold on the day of the bake sale, Oct. 23. Past bake sales have proven extremely successful. Donated goods can be baked products (homemade or store-bought), packaged drinks, small bags of popcorn or trail mix, homemade jams or jellies or small bags of chips. Like the rest of the events occurring this month, all proceeds will go to the Aloha United Way.

The most anticipated event of the month comes at the end when the Academy will host Costumes For a Cause for all students on Halloween day. While the lower school will be having a costume parade, the high school will be throwing a costume contest.

Students will be competing for most creative costume, most authentic looking costume, best handmade costume, best use of the oldies but goodies theme and best group costume.

Winners will be announced during the high school Halloween pep rally, which also features division cheers and dances.

Everyone in grades JK-12 is encouraged to support Aloha United Way by dressing in a Halloween costume for the cost of three dollars.