Written by: Amy Han, FCSN Voices Youth Reporter

Energy buzzed in the air as staff members and volunteers hurriedly hung streamers across doorframes, covered the walls with Halloween decorations, and spread a tablecloth over activity tables to prepare for the SpookFest. Halloween is a universal celebration, a day where everyone can join in, move at their own pace, and enjoy the holiday excitement. By the time the door opened on October 18 at 4-6 p.m., the space was filled with Halloween spirit. The mix of decorations and energetic music set the tone for a genuinely welcoming event. 

Fremont teens from Neuroguidance Fremont, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting and providing resources for neurodivergent individuals, played key roles in organizing and running the event. As the most active branch of the Bay-Area-based Neuroguidance organization, Neuroguidance Fremont has consistently demonstrated its commitment to community education and inclusion, having recently hosted awareness activities, such as tutoring sessions at the Fremont Main Library, and creative community art events. Wanting to connect more deeply with the local community, the organization reached out to FCSN to pitch their idea for the Spookfest, leading to multiple rounds of back-and-forth planning and revision to finalize event details. 

The collaboration between FCSN and Neuroguidance reflected a shared goal to build inclusive community spaces. “We hope they can take away that they all have a part in this society and in this community, because … they all deserve to enjoy this holiday,” Neuroguidance Vice President Ashley Kang said. 

As attendees filed in, they were sorted into three main activity rooms, each offering a variety of sensory-friendly games. Attendees gathered around stations headed by the Neuroguidance Board, volunteers, and FCSN staff with pumpkin decoration, cup stacking, beanbag tossing, coloring, board games, such as Monopoly, Connect 4, and Mancala, and more. Each booth was designed with inclusivity in mind, allowing participants to engage comfortably with sensory-friendly and enriching activities. “I think it’s so, so important to have enriching activities that bring joy to their lives… It builds support for everyone,” Social Recreation Program Assistant Theresa Kao said. The Spookfest offered an environment where attendees could focus and enjoy activities at their own pace. 

Midway through the event, as attention began to drop, the energy shifted. FCSN staff called everyone together for full-group activities, playing lively music as attendees lined up for rounds of limbo and rainbow parachutes, wrapped volunteers in toilet paper mummy contests, and cheered through a Halloween costume parade. The parade featured a variety of costumes, such as Disney princesses, superheroes like Batman and Superman, classic Halloween witches, and even a few dinosaurs, adding excitement to the room. Immediately, the crowd’s energy was revitalized.

By the end of the event, the Spookfest had proven itself to be more than just a Halloween celebration. Nearly all attendees left the event with smiles and candy-filled goody bags. For FCSN and Neuroguidance, it was a clear reminder of the powerful impact that inclusive community events can have on community bonds. 

Despite the event’s overall success, attendees noted several challenges. Parents wanted to see more group activities specifically tailored to younger children. Many families were enthusiastic about the pumpkin painting and also hoped to see even more creative, artistic options incorporated in the Spookfest. Behind the scenes, communication proved to be one of the biggest hurdles during planning, with the difficulty of aligning schedules and navigating logistics across two busy organizations. Ultimately, these challenges became learning opportunities for future youth-led collaborations.

Youth leadership is becoming more prevalent within FCSN. “There’s so many youth volunteer groups nowadays, and we’ve received a lot of inquiries about collaborating in different ways that we do,” FCSN Director of Family Outreach and Social Recreation Kelly Ko said. These collaborations are taking community inclusion even further, offering opportunities for FCSN to create even more meaningful experiences for those with special needs and their families. “I think [youth involvement is] one of the foundations of FCSN, because the youths really help build the events and help structure and organize the way that things flow,” Neuroguidance Volunteer Riya Pande said.

Graphics: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ApNdBK9F-m1A013ocHyDX2SeZP-YreXu