Heatherwood Elementary holds annual Carnival

Heatherwood Elementary School held its annual Carnival on May 3, a windy spring day in a field of freshly blooming dandelions at Heatherwood Elementary School. The Carnival is the school's spring fundraising event and

was significantly larger than last year's Carnival. Mara Oleson, co-president of the Parent Teacher Organization Board, or PTO Board, said that the carnival sold 350 wristband-tickets for kids and estimated that about 450 people attended.

"I became active in Heatherwood's PTO last year and knew almost immediately that I wanted to start an annual tradition of hosting a school carnival," Oleson said about the start of the Carnival. "I grew up outside of Orlando and I have a core memory of the spring carnival that we had at my elementary school. I aimed to create similar joyful experiences for our students. The main goal of the carnival is to unite the community in celebrating a fantastic school year."

There were significantly more games, including balloon pop, tiki toss, milk can toss, bull roping, and three-of-a-kind. Another parent at Heatherwood, Pete Welsh, performed as DJ Duck La Rock and kept the mood lively. Two food trucks were on hand, Lenin's Wood Fired Pizza and Los Dos Bros Food Truck, and there was also a booth selling cotton candy and popcorn. Behind the refreshment stands was the always popular face painting.

The Carnival also included a silent auction, featuring several items themed after the school's mascot, the Huskies. Other items included small fun afterschool-related events, and summer camps. Attendees were entertained by circus performers from Equinox Entertainment and enjoyed the popular Laughing Photo Booth.

This event was organized by the school's PTO Board, parent volunteers, and the elementary school, with the majority of the booths run by parent volunteers. Proceeds from the Carnival will be used for paraeducators who work in classrooms alongside teachers, substitute teachers, and funding for activities such as field trips.

According to Breeze Holicky, another member of the PTO Board who also organizes the Heather Heatherwood Fun Run to be held on May 21, said this is one of a few events to raise money to help educators at the school. "Both the carnival and the glow party in October are events aimed at breaking even," Oleson said about the purpose behind the annual Heatherwood Carnival. "While making some profit would be great, our primary goal is to create enjoyable and unforgettable experiences for our Husky Pack."