SUGAR HILL — Children and adults alike could be seen having a good time at Sycamore Elementary School in Sugar Hill, Ga. during their annual Fall Festival. “The Sycamore PTA hosted their Fall Festival which was their yearly signature event where they invite students, staff and community members to celebrate fall with them every year on campus,” says Dr. Crystal Cooper, Principal of Sycamore Elementary School.
The festival-goers were treated to performances by Sycamore’s chorus and dance team. The chorus which is comprised of third, fourth, and fifth graders sang three songs much to the delight of a packed house while the dance team performed a lively routine to “Ghostbusters.” Local students from Lanier Middle, Riverside Elementary, White Oak Elementary, and Sycamore Elementary who are also students of Tae Kwon Do demonstrated their amazing skills of kicks and twists to close out the performances.
There were a variety of activities for everyone to participate in that included local vendors selling their goods, a Red Barn Petting Zoo, face painting, bouncy houses, games, and the always popular dunk tank. The Sycamore teachers a.k.a. good sports up for dunking were Ms. Willingham, Ms. Chase, and Mr. Snow. The petting zoo was a particular favorite where children were able to pet little lambs, rabbits, and adorable white fluffy chickens. The neighboring landfill operated by Republic Services contributed to the success of the Fall Festival by providing and cooking hotdogs, hamburgers, and veggie burgers for the event.
The most creative part of the Fall Festival was the Pumpkin contest hands down. To encourage reading, students were asked to turn a pumpkin into their favorite book character. Dozens of pumpkins were turned into fictional book characters ranging from Harry Potter to Pokemon. Students voted on their favorite pumpkins during the festival. Two winners were chosen from the entries. Abigail Laugherty, a fourth-grader in Mrs. Carlan’s class won for her piece based on “Charlotte’s Web” by Garth William. Also winning was Gerardo G Rodriguez, a second-grader in Mrs. Sessom’s class. His pumpkin was based on “A Friend Like Pikachu (Pokémon)” by Rachel Chlebowski. Abigail and Gerardo each won movie tickets and an ice cream voucher for winning.
Hundreds of people showed up to the festival which could not have been possible without the generosity and hard work of many. Some of those who deserve a bit of thanks for a job well done were members of the PTA, additional parents, and Sycamore teachers. The Fall Festival is an event that students and staff will remember with fondness for some time to come.
— By Alicia Couch Payne
