By Red Cross Club Officer, Angel Ni
Every October, Zombie Apocalypse is hosted by the Rosemead High School American Red Cross Club to celebrate the spirit of Halloween and teach high school students about disaster preparedness. It creates a fast-paced environment in which participants form teams and compete against each other for a grand prize. And, I am lucky enough to be the event coordinator!
The day of the Apocalypse begins early in the morning, when a team of professional makeup artists (comprised of Rosemead High’s very own Red Cross officers) turn regular volunteers into an eager team of zombies— ready to launch an attack. Upon arrival, the players join the audience of a PrepareTEENS Presentation, which ends with an extremely heated round of jeopardy. Next, the players put on their ponchos, which have become the most fashionable attire for the Apocalypse (and they will definitely come in handy a little later). Contestants are then released to take on the stations, where they participate in entertaining activities that trigger their inner preparedness geek. Each station focuses on a specific natural disaster and they are hidden throughout Rosemead High School. Players must solve riddles to determine the location of each station. Furthermore, hungry zombies roam around the school searching for delicious preparedness-packed brains. The Zombie’s hands are stained with red paint, and each mark they make on a participant becomes a deduction from the team’s final score. That’s where the ponchos come in handy! They protect the participant’s clothing from being stained with bright red paint! I also encourage participants to wear their ponchos because they are extraordinarily fashionable! After the teams have completed the stations the event concludes with an Awards Ceremony.
Zombie Apocalypse is an enjoyable event to coordinate. And, seeing so many students passionate about disaster preparedness makes it a truly rewarding experience for me!
About the author:
Angel Ni currently serves as the Vice President on the Arcadia Youth Corps Executive Board and the President of the Rosemead High School Red Cross Club. In 2016 she was awarded the 2016 MLK Drum Major for Service Award.
