KCSD Transition Program students create Harry Potter-themed escape room for classmates

Jan. 23, 2026 / Students in the Klamath County Transition Program showcased creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills by designing and hosting an immersive Harry Potter–themed escape room experience for their classmates.

The student-created escape room featured three interconnected rooms inspired by the wizarding world: the Hogwarts Express, Potions, and Ravenclaw Common Room. Participants were required to successfully complete all three rooms to earn a prize at the end — Harry Potter–themed chocolate treats.

The experience began aboard the Hogwarts Express, created by Chad Wardrip and Tommy Robinson. This room featured detailed decorations that transformed the space into a train car from the Harry Potter series. Following a storyline in which a fictional student had released chocolate frogs throughout the train, participants searched for hidden frogs and solved puzzles with clues written in invisible ink. Those clues led to the combination for a locked box, which contained a scroll directing participants to the next challenge in the Potions room.

The Potions room, designed by Rebekah McGowen and Remhy Holden, also featured detailed, themed decorations that enhanced the immersive experience. Participants searched for clues that allowed them to determine the correct potion recipe. When the potion bubbled, it signaled that the correct recipe had been identified, allowing participants to read a scroll containing the clue that advanced them to the final room.

The escape room concluded in the Ravenclaw Common Room, created by Rylan See and Carlos Nuno, where participants completed the final challenge in a space decorated to reflect the Ravenclaw theme.

Students responsible for each room remained on hand to provide directions, guidance, and hints to their classmates as they worked through the puzzles, further reinforcing communication and leadership skills.

Crystal Renslow, who works with the Klamath County Transition Program, said the project was designed to engage students while building real-world skills.

“I was thinking about something I could do to keep my group entertained and busy, something they would enjoy,” Renslow said. “I had been to a couple of escape rooms over the summer and really enjoyed them, so I pitched the idea. They loved it.”

A team of six students planned and built the escape room from the ground up, meeting weekly throughout the school year. Students voted on the Harry Potter theme, designed and tested puzzles, created decorations and costumes, and produced an introductory video to help participants understand the storyline before beginning.

“There’s a lot of critical thinking and creativity involved, but also cooperation,” Renslow said. “They have to work together, communicate, and problem solve to complete each room.”

At the time of the event, seven students -- three boys and four girls -- were participating as players, working collaboratively to solve puzzles and advance through each room.

Renslow said students took pride in every phase of the project.

“These kids are pretty talented,” she said. “They’re well-spoken, creative, and they really enjoyed making it.”

The Klamath County Transition Program, part of the Klamath County School District, is an independent living skills program, which provides three years of transition services to youth ages 18-21 on individualized education plans. The students learn work and independent living skills as well as participate in post-secondary education and community inclusion programs. The program operates the Jo2Go Coffee cart and the janitorial service Clean Sweep. Students are well-known through the Klamath County School District and with various community organizations.