On October 31, Boston Latin School hosted its fifth annual Michael Giordano Halloween Contest to raise funds for the senior class, inviting students and teachers to compete in various costume categories ranging from “Best Solo” to “Most Creative.”
Many unique costumes filled the halls, including the Science Department dressing up as characters from The Bear, the Classics Department as Avatar: The Last Airbender characters and the girls’ volleyball team as Oompa Loompas.
The contest is held in honor of Mr. Michael Giordano ‘84, a beloved member of the BLS community who passed away in 2019. The annual event serves to honor the legacy left by Mr. Giordano.
“Gio was loved by all and he ‘bled purple.’ He gave so much of himself to [his] alma mater, and we are forever grateful to him for always leading us with love and laughter,” says Senior Class Advisor Ms. Andrea Encarnacao.
Every year, new students and faculty take part in the contest. This year, BLS English teacher, Mr. Richard Beyer is the winner of Funniest Teacher. Mr. Beyer was dressed as “sick seven,” alluding to the “67” meme. He put tape on his shirt to form a seven and a cold compress ice bag from CVS on his head.
Mr. Beyer decided on this costume two days before Halloween. “I am always trying to be punny, and my wife found the costume on the internet, and she said that it was perfect,” Mr. Beyer explains. “I think I said something about six or seven sentences in your writing, and they all started giggling and laughing.”
With a total of 71 entries this year, the senior class officers were able to judge and select winners by looking at the costumes with the most spirit, creativity and effort. “The props, face paint and number of accessories were all things that caught our eye while looking through all the photos,” says Senior Class Secretary Vanessa Vu (I).
Jun Hosokowa (II), dressed as Medusa, won Most Creative this year. Though the project started early, in November 2024, the final design didn’t come until early September. The most time-consuming part were the snakes that had to be crocheted by hand.
They describe the costume to be a family project, and every part of the costume was homemade. “I came up with the idea and design for my costume, and my mother is the one with the talent to make it come to life,” Hosokowa says. Marking their fifth consecutive year of winning, they wish to continue this streak through their senior year.
Senior officers hope that the tradition of recreating old iconic characters and new characters rising in popularity will continue next year. At BLS, Halloween is not only a time to celebrate but also to honor Mr. Giordano.