Holmes County seniors introduce alternative to haunted house 

This year’s Project Graduation will not feature the typical haunted house event. Instead, the seniors will be presenting Experience the Judgment, which was described as “a walk-through drama that tells the story of real-life events, experiences, and consequences that lead to judgment, and ultimately, an eternity in Heaven or Hell.” This will be the first time Holmes County seniors put this event on.   

The event will take place on multiple dates, starting October 9 and ending November 8. It will be open on Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. They will also host the event on Halloween (October 30 and 31) from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. to give everyone the opportunity to attend. 

Experience the Judgment will be held at the old Bonifay Middle School, utilizing six or seven different rooms. Students will perform a play that leads attendees through scenes representing judgment, Heaven, and Hell. 

“At the end, there will be rooms where pastors and youth pastors will be waiting to pray with whoever wants or needs it,” explained Janna Roche, one of the Project Graduation officers.  

In addition to being a Project Graduation officer, Roche is the parent of a Holmes County High School senior and came up with the idea, along with Kelley Patrick and Marti Sherrouse, of the faith-based haunted house a couple of years ago. She recalled the moment during a leadership meeting at her church, right around Halloween and the height of Project Graduation season, when a single question sparked the inspiration. 

“They asked the question, ‘How can you prepare yourself [in your leadership role] if it were to grow by 200%?’ and when I thought about that question, it just kept leading me to wonder what I would do if I had the opportunity to change something in the community,” Roche explained. Patrick and Sherrouse called not long after, explaining that it was placed on their hearts to do Experience the Judgement as well.  

This also reminded her of a powerful experience she had as a teenager at an event called “Judgment House.” 

Roche shared that the event changed her life and that she never forgot it. She wanted her son, and other teens, to have a similar experience. 

“I thought it would be so great for the seniors to change the haunted house into something like ‘Experience the Judgment,’ so I started messaging the other senior parents to see if it was something we could do,” she said.  

There was some hesitation due to the amount of funding the haunted house usually brings in for the students and uncertainty about hosting a brand-new event. Still, Roche, Patrick, and Sherrouse didn’t give up. Eventually they reached out to some parents and pitched the idea to them, and it was decided that Experience the Judgment needed to happen. 

After coordinating with churches and volunteers—and most importantly, talking with the senior students—the event was officially set. 

“A lot of the kids have talked about it, and they are all excited,” said Roche. 

“I’m excited about Experience the Judgment because it’s something new, a change from what’s been done for many years in the past, and I’m glad I get to experience this with all my friends. I think we and everyone else will have a great time this year, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out,” said Holmes County senior Hunter Maples. 

Roche also explained that they’ve lowered the price for the event. 

“It isn’t about the money for us—it’s about obedience to the Lord. We do want to try to raise what we can for our seniors, but it’s not about the money; it’s about the impact it has on our students and our community. We want the students to be able to look back years from now and say, ‘Wow, we made an impact our senior year.’ Not only that, but it will impact their lives as well. A lot of them don’t even fully know what to expect, but they’re still excited,” said Roche. 

“I am hoping to have a spiritual impact on our community. This event opens an opportunity for us to be Christlike examples to our peers and others around us,” said Kennedy Pate, a Holmes County High School student.

The Project Graduation officers are still seeking volunteers and hoping for more churches to participate in the event. For reservations, questions, or more information, call event organizers at 448-235-6630 or email hocoprojectgrad@gmail.com.