On Friday, November 3, Northeast Middle school held its annual Fall Festival. The fundraiser and community-builder once again proved to be the school’s biggest community event with attendance historically close to 400. Students purchase tickets to participate in various games and attractions, including the popular “Scaronems” Haunted Hause. Profits from the Fall Festival support the needs of students and teachers at Northeast Middle School.
Just inside the entrance to the school, students could use tickets to play various carnival games. Running the “Pumpkin Pitch” was Exceptional Children’s Teacher Mary Corcoran, who was excited to see so many students participating in the Fall Festival. Across the hall was Sixth Grade Math Teacher Michelle Ehrhart moderating Cornhole and “Ghouls and Guesses,” where students guessed how many pieces of candy were in various containers to win the whole jar. Erhart, in her first year at Northeast Middle, found the students’ excitement over the Fall Festival contagious. “Ghouls and Guesses and Fall Cornhole were a big hit,” said PTSA President Danielle Anson. “There was competition that stemmed from both games as excited students wanted to win the candy and the corn hole title.”
Also in the front hall was Sixth Grade Science Teacher Keionda Sanders running the “Cake Walk,” a take on “Musical Chairs” where children walk in a circle while music plays and stop on a number when the music stops. Ms. Sanders then drew a number, and the child standing on that number won a tasty baked treat. Although she wasn’t seeing many customers at the beginning of the night, Ms. Sanders was confident the Cake Walk would be popular later in the night as students began to see their friends walking around with cookies and cakes!
There were more opportunities for fun and games in other areas of the school. Sixth grader Reven kicked off the lipsync battle in the cafeteria, and In the gym, students participated in a half court shot contest. Even more attractions awaited students outdoors: a game truck in the front parking lot and the opportunity to ride around the track on a fire truck or a hay ride.
But the most popular attraction by far was the “Insane Asylum” Haunted House where “insane” people trailed participants through pitch black rooms filled with screaming and restrained people. “The haunted house was terrifying, in my opinion,” said seventh grader Emma. “What was the most scary was when kids would jump out from behind corners and scream . . . it was so scary to me I kept looking behind me as I walked around the school doing stuff!”
Although most of the activities at the Fall Festival were aimed at Northeast’s middle school students, there were also activities for parents and younger siblings. At the entrance to the library, Media Specialist Lisa Soria read “Short and Sweet” stories for the little ones every half hour. There was also a bounce house popular with younger children in the gym.
While their children enjoyed the Fall Festival, parents could shop in the cafeteria, where there were a number of local vendors selling everything from mugs, jewelry, cards and soap to gourmet peanut brittle and “make your own” s’mores. Many of the vendors learned about the Fall Festival through social media like Facebook and Nextdoor.
Families could also enjoy dinner and snacks from food trucks like Thrasher Dawgs, Roman’s Allstar Cafe, the Blushing Bakeshop, Sticks and Cones and Sophie’s Soul Food. There was also “fair food” like cotton candy, snow cones and funnel cakes.
The Fall Festival was once again a successful fundraiser and community event. Anson estimates that roughly $1500.00 was taken in for tickets the night of the event. Jeremy Anson, PTA fundraising committee, sold $175.00 worth of tickets during students lunch in the cafeteria on Friday as well. “The parents teachers and community alike thoroughly enjoyed this festive Friday night!” said Anson.
