Trying to keep pantyhose from running is difficult. Trying to keep pantyhose from running while stuffing roughly cut straw into them is nearly impossible. Nevertheless, Coupeville High School’s art students are up to the task.

Armed with straw, hot glue guns, yarn and paint, Coupeville kids welcomed the fall season by building scarecrows to enter in this year’s Scarecrow Corridor – an annual creative competition between local groups and businesses.

Art teacher Tacy Bigelow assigned three of her art classes to enter a design in the competition. She said the project helps students learn how to communicate and encourages teamwork.

“Everybody’s jumped in full force,” Bigelow said. “Everyone is participating; I like that.”

Bigelow’s students began designing their scarecrows before they learned that this year’s Corridor has a nursery rhyme theme, so a few groups had to make adjustments.

Freshmen Anthony Brooks and Alex James put together a three blind mice display, a far cry from their original plan.

“We wanted to make a gothic school teacher, but that was too violent,” James said.

Another group of students in James’ class decided to do scarecrow Greek gods Zeus and Hades, but switched to infant versions of the two to better suit the theme.

“We figured baby Greek gods are more nursery than normal Greek gods,” senior Kristin Sim said laughing.

Sim’s team worked on draping their scarecrows in white linen, creating a cloud and cutting out wooden lightning bolts last week. Though they had some difficulty building wire supports for the gods’ limbs, they hoped to finish the project in time for the submission deadline.

Freshmen girls Makenna Martyn and Breeanna Messner seemed to be one of the few groups that chose a suitable project from the beginning. They put together a mermaid scarecrow with long golden hair.

“We wanted to think of things that would catch people’s eye,” Martyn said. She thought they’d be scrambling to finish the piece before the deadline.

“We have a week, and we still have a lot to do,” she said last Thursday.

Messner added, “At some point, we’ll have to give her a haircut.”

All scarecrows will be on display Oct. 4 through Halloween on Main and Front streets. The Coupeville students should have their projects set up outside the high school on Main Street by today, Sept. 29.

The winners of this year’s Scarecrow Corridor will be announced at HarvestFest at the Coupeville Farmers Market on Oct. 9. Cash prizes will be awarded to best business, best family/individual and people’s choice. Maps and voting forms will be available Monday, Oct. 4, at the Coupeville Chamber, The Honey Bear Miriam’s Espresso or online at centralwhidbeychamber.com. Voting is open through Oct. 8.