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Country fun comes to school
More than 100 volunteers participate in St. Leonard event
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by DARWIN WEIGEL
St. Leonard Elementary School fifth grader Jake Didra, 9, competes in the doughnut eating contest Friday at the school's country hoe-down.
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St. Leonard Elementary School's cafeteria turned into a country hoe-down on Friday for the school's Second Annual Fall Festival.
The event, which featured a pie throwing contest, blue grass music, square dancing, doughnut bobbing, cookie decorating, bowling and numerous other barnyard-themed activities, has been in the works since June, said Tammy Beardmore, St. Leonard Elementary's PTA fall events coordinator.
"Last year we did it in six weeks, so we wanted to give ourselves more time," Beardmore said of the event, which boasted more than 100 parent and staff volunteers.
"Our goal is that it'll be affordable family fun and bring more community spirit to our St. Leonard community," she said.
When asked about the largest challenge that went into the fair, Beardmore just laughed and said, "It's a lot of work; I guess all the little details to make the big picture happen."
One of the not-so-little details of the event was the student-teacher pie throwing contest, which Beardmore said she believed was a highlight for many young attendees.
Getting to throw the last pie of the evening at St. Leonard Elementary School Principal Toni Chapman was a particular honor, so much so that a special raffle was done just to choose three lucky students.
Chapman, however, seemed to take it all in stride.
"The best part for me last year was how the community came together … it's great to see so many people here and involved," Chapman said.
Chapman explained that before her school started its fall festival, the St. Leonard vision group used to have a similar event, for which it used the school.
She said the PTA has tried to incorporate some of the previous fall fest's features into its event, which cost $3 for students.
"It's not meant to be a money maker, it's meant to break even," said Chapman, who explained that the PTA purposely scheduled the event for after Halloween so decorations would be less expensive.
She also said the school and St. Leonard community gave several donations to the festival.
Upon being asked what their favorite part of the festival was, fourth graders Kaitlin McCloskey and Alexis Johnson had to converse with each other for a minute or two.
"Cotton candy," the 9-year-olds finally said simultaneously.
Both Kaitlin and Alexis also said they were looking forward to square dancing and pie throwing.
Eight-year-old David Fisher said he was excited about bowling and didn't think he'd get into trouble if he hit his homeroom teacher in the face with a pie.
"I think it's going to be fun," the third grader said.
Jarrett Moreland, 10, however, was a bit more concerned of the consequences, were he to hit his principal in the face with a pie.
"I think she'll stay in her office for a long time," he joked of Chapman.
As a fifth grader, Jarrett told his parents, Ken and Tina Moreland, that they needed to take in as much of the fall festival as possible.
"This is our last chance," he told his mom and dad to rush them along.
Both Morelands were all too happy to oblige.
"I think the kids have a good time with it, but I think the parents enjoy it as well, intermingling with the faculty," Ken Moreland said. "This is what Jarrett's been talking about all week."
