PORT BYRON - Felicia Darrow thought she would be too nervous to fall under the spell of a hypnotist, but on Tuesday she learned just how wrong she was.

A volunteer during Master Hypnotist Thomas Bresadola's show at Port Byron Junior/Senior High School just hours before school closed for the holidays, Darrow received an hypnotic suggestion to extol the beauty of her friend's hair every time her friend ran her hands through her hair.

“Man! What did you do to your hair!,” Darrow exclaimed, without even realizing what exactly was going on. “Did you wash it more or something?”

Anthony Raymond's suggestion was a little different. Every time is friend snapped his fingers, Raymond hopped, put his hands on his waist, and declared, “I'm Batman!” to the laughter of the entire student body.

To mark the beginning of the holiday recess, Port Byron hired Bresadola, who heads Simplified Entertainment of Skaneateles, to bestow some holiday cheer, dispense the stress of school and provide students a fun activity.

“It's an opportunity for kids to de-stress before they go on vacation and start their vacation on an upbeat note,” social studies teacher and event organizer Linda Townsend said.

A dozen students sat shoulder to shoulder across the high school auditorium stage, falling deeper into a hypnotic trance with each minute that passed. Heads sank into neighbor's shoulders, hair drooped across faces.

With Bresadola's voice guiding them, they believed they were at a horse race and could win $1,000. What started out as quiet excitement erupted in a roar of cheers each time the imaginary horses galloped around the racetrack.

Just a few short seconds later, Harry Green III jumped out of his seat and pumped his fists into the air when he thought the horse he bet on won him $1,000.

Students sold “Enjoy the City” coupon books and asked local businesses for donations in order to raise the funds to bring Bresadola to Port Byron.

“It's very enjoyable because everyone here is just going to have a really good time,” Bresadola said. “The majority of the audience does not believe in hypnosis and when they leave, they will believe in hypnosis. The show is very informative on hypnosis, what it is and what its benefits are.”

Zach Suarez knows first hand. As a freshman, the last time Bresadola made it to the school, Suarez was a volunteer who was hypnotized. Though asked to do it again this time around, he decided it would be more fun to watch his classmates get hypnotized.

“It's a good way to get into the Christmas season,” he said. “It's a good way to do something fun instead of getting stressed out about grades.”