Suffolk Reporter

Moriches Elementary School recently celebrated its 45th annual "Great Pumpkin" contest, a tradition that began in 1978 thanks to former art teachers Linda Tucci and Susan Safranek. The event invites students and their families to creatively carve pumpkins, which are then evaluated by faculty and staff based on creativity, originality, and craftsmanship.

This year's contest was organized by art teacher Amanda Maertz and saw participation from over 90 entries. Despite the high number of unique designs, only three winners were selected along with three honorable mentions.

The first place went to Iker Cedeno for "Carousel," while Colby Delboy's "Groot" secured second place. Grayson Weiss took third place with "Spookhouse Cinema." Honorable mentions included Londyn Fulford's "Monopoly Man," Jackson Merrick's "Dunkin’ Donuts," and Caleb Gerry's "Globe."

All winners received special prizes for their efforts. Congratulations were extended to all participants for contributing to another successful competition.