MONROE, CT — Inflatable palm trees and decorations of coconuts and tropical flowers adorned the cafeteria inside Masuk High School late Friday afternoon. Music played from deejay Joel Castillo’s booth and dancing Unified Sports students formed a conga line. Masuk’s first annual Luau Party was in full swing.
“In the fall, we went to Joel Barlow High School and they had something similar to this and we thought it was so much fun,” said Karen Gibbons, a para educator at Masuk. “The kids could be themselves.”
Gibbons and fellow para educator, Jen Nemec, organized Friday’s event.
Nemec said Joel Barlow’s party was called a Homecoming Dance. “It was nothing flashy,” she said. “It was low key and fun.”
In addition to Masuk Spanish teacher Joel Castillo’s deejaying Friday, a photo booth was set up inside the school cafeteria with a table of props students could use while taking pictures with their cellphones.
Jennie’s Pizzeria, 380 Monroe Turnpike, donated pizza pies for the Luau Party.
“A para educator’s husband works at Pepsi and Pepsi donated all the beverages,” Nemec said.
“We invited Unified Sports teams from throughout the region,” Gibbons said.
Joel Barlow Principal Mario Almeida brought five of his students to the Luau Party.
“All the schools play each other,” he said. “There’s not a lot of social events for the students to have fun together. We had a Unified Sports Homecoming Dance and invited Masuk, Bethel, Newtown … all of the schools in the area.”
“When we heard Masuk was doing this, we had to come,” Almeida added.
He said he also wanted to attend because of Masuk Unified Sports Coach Donald Casey. “Don’s a great guy,” Almeida said. “He invited us.”
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