In the News: A school carnival with dramatic flair

Joan Austin Elementary School held its sixth annual festival this weekend and gray skies were not enough to deter participants.
“It went great. It was phenomenal. We had an awesome time,” said principal Lesley Carsley, who has been shepherding the event for years. A Precision helicopter kept giving rides from 10:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. while Jem 100 and Pogy’s served food.

The school’s closest neighbors, the congregation of Newberg Christian Church joined in the fun, Carsley said, as they brought a slide over for the festival. The slide joined dozens of other games in an area behind the school. There were also vendors booths from myriad local shops and agencies.

“Even though the weather was not sunny and gorgeous, it didn’t hamper anything,” she said. This year saw the largest turnout of classic cars with 35 vehicles on display.

The event is designed to improve community spirit, Carsley said, but it also raises money for school activities. The fourth-grade students ran carnival games and raised $1,600 for next year’s outdoor school. A basket raffle raised $680 as well.

Two changes this year included the addition of a DJ to play tunes and make announcements and the removal of entertainment, which in the past often was overlooked by attendees, Carsley said.

Carsley started a similar community festival when she was principal of Edwards Elementary School. “I just love planning it,” she said. “Getting it going is really fun.”
 

Laurent Bonczijk, Newberg Graphic