Jefferson area teens are encouraged to participate in some upcoming Halloween-themed programs with the Jefferson Public Library.

Youth Services Librarian Bailey Mount says this coming Friday is the third annual Haunted Gingerbread House craft. The program will be from 2-4pm in the basement of the library for youth in grades 5th-12th. She talks about changing this activity to making it a competition.

“You can work by yourself or you can work with a friend or two and you gotta compete not only to build the best creepiest house, but you gotta tell me your backstory for it. So what we had noticed last year is that the teens were coming up with backstories on the fly and when I asked them, ‘Well, what’s your thought process? What’s going on here?’ They would tell me in great detail. So this year I’m actually going to make them do it as a part of the program and we’re going to see who wins the prize.”   

The other program for teens is what Mount is calling a “Fright Night.” She states that on the evening before Halloween, October 30th, from 5-7pm in the library basement there will be a scary movie and free pizza. She points out that there are three choices of movies for the teens to vote on from now through this coming Wednesday. 

“Well I have three buckets set up in the Youth Department and they just read what the movie is about, which one they’re interested in, they drop their name and phone number in. So many teenagers that said, ‘Why do you need my phone number?’ I need it so I can call you, so I can let you know the movie got picked, so you can sign up, so I can know how much pizza to get.”    

The movie choices are all PG-13 and include the 1991 version of “The Addams Family,” Jack Black starring in “Goosebumps,” and “Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark.” Once the winning movie has been announced, the teens are then required to sign up with the Youth Department.