This Halloween, students at Lenoir City High School brought creativity, sparkle, and a whole lot of personality to the annual costume contest. From people in album covers, to fictional cartoon characters, the competition showcased just how imaginative, and competitive the school’s Panthers can get. The cafeteria-turned-costume-runway began with laughter, picture flashes, and genuine excitement as students showed off their costumes to peers and faculty as they went around and collected candy with grins.
For junior Ruthann Apsley, the contest was more than just a fun event, it was a way to bring a character she imagined to life.
“I was a character that I made up from my imagination, and I did wear it when I went out. I got second place in the contest and I was really surprised, but I was happy that I got a good spot. Everyone’s costumes looked so good and I saw a bunch of steampunk costumes and I really liked that because I was a steampunk last year, so that was really neat seeing other people who had the same idea,” Apsley said.
Apsley’s originality and flair for costume design impressed judges, earning her a top spot among dozens of competitors. The contest had multiple people up for nomination, and Apsley’s imaginative ensemble stood out for its detail and originality. Many students drew inspiration from movies, pop culture, and even past winners, but her completely original creation reminded everyone that sometimes the best costumes come straight from their very own imagination.
Third place winner, Gabriella Vasquez (11) said she decided to take a different approach this year after previously taking first place, where she was dressed up a tad different from this year’s event.
“I dressed up as a genie, just a regular old genie. My costume was very much like sparkles, lamps, red. I feel like I was really accessorized. I placed third, I was kind of shocked, even though I placed first last year. I didn’t think I was gonna win a second year in a row. I saw a lot of other cool costumes,” Vasquez said.
Even though her placement changed from last year, Vasquez said the contest still gave her a chance to express herself and have fun with her friends. Many students spent weeks planning and collecting pieces for their costumes, and for some, like Vasquez, half the fun was hunting for accessories and thrifting the perfect details to bring their vision to life.
The first-place trophy went to Cindy Van Tran (12), who fully committed to her funny and creative take on popular character, Papa Smurf.
“I dressed up as Papa Smurf. I kind of knew I was going to win, I mean, my costume was cool and pretty funny. I placed first. I do think mine was the best compared to other people’s,” Van Tran said.
Her bold confidence matched her costume’s energy, and students couldn’t help but laugh and cheer when she walked across the stage in full blue paint, red hat, and white matching beard. Van Tran’s win marked her first costume contest victory, and she said she hopes her humor and boldness inspire others to take more risks next year.
This year’s contest was not just about competition, it was about community, laughter, and creativity. Students said seeing so many unique ideas in one place made the event memorable. Truthfully, it was a filler from the entire Trick-Or-Treat portion, offering a bit of excitement to see who would win. From fantasy creatures to classic Halloween monsters, every costume told its own story. The Panthers’ annual Halloween contest continues to be one of the most anticipated events of the fall semester. Whether they’re showing off thrifted accessories, testing their makeup skills, or inventing entire characters from scratch, students like these creative young girls proved that Panther pride shines brightest when creativity leads the way.
