Looking around at last year’s Pumpkin Carving Contest, senior Evan Degabli saw groups come together to carve pumpkins and support a chosen organization. 

“[The contest] just brings a bunch of different clubs and a bunch of different people together that you wouldn’t normally be with, and that’s always nice to have because you can meet people you’ve never met,” said Degabli. “So it just builds a stronger community within Glenbrook North.”

The event is hosted by the boys lacrosse program and Spartan Service Club. Different sports teams and clubs were scheduled to participate in this year’s contest on Oct. 29 by purchasing pumpkins for $20 each and working in teams to carve them. The pumpkins are to be displayed the next day for students to vote on their favorite and determine the winner of the contest. 

This year’s plan was to raise money for Total Link to Community, a Northbrook-based nonprofit organization that helps adults with disabilities find meaningful employment. 

“The mission [of Total Link to Community] is to empower adults with disabilities of all kinds so they can thrive in working, socializing, learning and contributing to our community, which is making their workplace and communities better for them,” program facilitator Jake Bochniak said.

We’re able to use donations and money we raise for our programs and for our adults to have a good time in our community without them needing to worry about their own expenses, Bochniak said. 

Lacrosse worked with Spartan Service Club to make the Pumpkin Carving Contest a schoolwide event in 2023. For the first three years of the contest it only included players from the boys lacrosse program. 

According to senior Yumna Nadeem, member of Spartan Service Club, she enjoys seeing people feel passionate about giving back to the community. 

“It just makes you feel good knowing that you made a difference,” said Nadeem. “A lot of the kids that came the first year I saw come back the second year too, and they were really excited about it.”

According to boys lacrosse coach Justin Georgacakis, getting students connected to service opportunities betters them as well as the organizations they work with.

When you do service work, you’re trying to help build an individual who not only is strong in a sport like lacrosse but who can also understand when they are fortunate and have the opportunity to give back, Georgacakis said.  

“Just being there in the cafeteria, there’s a lot of smiles and there’s a lot of joy,” Georgacakis said.