At Clyde High School, hidden treasures are improving morale, school attendance
CLYDE ― An unexpected treasure hunt at Clyde High School has turned into a schoolwide event — with students collecting, looking at, watching and trading resin figurines.
Stacy Heskett, high school custodian, had an idea to put little treasures ― resin figures — throughout the school at the beginning of the school year. She hides them, giving the CHS students something extra to look forward to when they come to school.
“I got the idea from the painted rocks that people collect and thought little figures to collect would be a start,” Heskett said. “I place them around the school for students and staff to find and keep. It just brings a smile to their day.”
Students come in earlier to begin their hunt
Many high school students will arrive at school early to look for animals, insects, ducks, cows, lizards and other figures. All the parents know about them if a student comes home with one.
“The students come in the door looking down the halls everywhere, not on their phones,” Heskett said. “I also have some students that even follow me when I start my shift for the evening.”
Heskett has distributed thousands of figurines, and she usually hides about 600 every two weeks. She does not keep track of the figurines so she does not know if each one has been found.
CHS principal said attendance is rising
“More students are turning up to search for them and attendance is rising,” said Principal Joe Webb.
Each of the resin figurines is bought in bulk and Heskett changes the theme for each holiday season. Some of the resin figures can be collectors' or rare editions.
Students have online chats about figurines
“These figures have made a huge impact on the school,” Heskett said. “There are some students who keep it a secret that they collect them, and some teachers, too.”
The figurines are such a success that there are clubs that trade five pigs for two ducks, for example, Heskett said. “Some of the figurines have collector editions in them and there is a rare elephant that everyone wants to trade for it.”
The students have even started an online chat to talk about the figurines to keep track of what they found and where they found them.
“My daughter loves finding them. It always brightens her day,” said Lynnette Swinehart, a parent of a student.
At first, Heskett was covert and did not want anyone to know she was doing it. Now that everyone knows about the figurines, and that they are safe and OK to collect, the treasure hunt has gone far beyond what Heskett thought it would.
“High school students give up fun stuff, and doing this brings the light back to them, the little kid we all have inside,” she said. Heskett said she plans to continue her treasure hunt for years to come as long as the school allows it.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Clyde OH custodian sparks joy with wildly popular treasure hunts
