From 12 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 25, the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) hosted a festival centered on fall and Halloween, with people coming in costume. Taking place in the lower parking lot, it featured table games, performances and activities for the local community.
Parents and kids had the opportunity to move around the parking lot to learn what is going on at school and throughout the cluster. Whether it was information, a game or an activity, there was something for everyone to partake in. “My friend and I walked around the parking lot to try and have fun. It was chill, but some of the tables could have been more fun,” freshman Josh Downie said.
Student-led organizations at the school set up tables with activities and candy prizes. Patriot Ambassadors hosted a match-the-duck counting game with lollipops. The SGA organized a scavenger hunt throughout the parking lot and a pumpkin art table. The National Arts Society showcased their creative talents with a facepainting table and candy.
Sports teams also organized small games to represent them. The football team used their table for a football accuracy game and the hockey team used their table for a puck shooting game. Aside from school-run tables, kids enjoyed the bounce house located near the portable field.
Middle and elementary schools in the cluster set up tables to distribute information about their schools and the information surrounding the Board of Education’s meeting addressing school renovations. Merchandise was also showcased and sold by these schools, including the host school. “I had fun watching all the performers and meeting people at the feeder schools,” junior Noa Lucas said.
As the Fall Festival was a way to bring the community together, the PTSA used its tables to advocate for the school’s negative conditions and the SGA’s hope to speak about the school’s need for renovations. PTSA members and Patriot Ambassadors were handing out flyers with information and QR codes with the hope that they could get at least 100 people to the Board of Education’s meeting to speak about the schools’ needed renovations. They also continued their efforts to advocate for the upcoming boundary study and the possible cluster displacement.
During the second half of the festival, the Acatonics performed four songs while the singers were dressed up in costumes to show spirit for Halloween. Other performances were put on by the school’s poms team and K-pop club. Music continued to be played throughout the event by the DJ, and the school’s band was playing on the field. “I performed with the Acotonics and I always love to perform, especially when everyone was wearing a costume. It showed school spirit,” junior Claire Spivak said.
Pizza was supplied and sold by Potomac Pizza, and snacks were available for purchase. As the Fall Festival also celebrated the upcoming Halloween, candy was distributed throughout the tables and an ice cream truck was available in the back of the lot.
