Grant Elementary PTA carnival brings fun, funds

Fourth-grader Chase Evans spent an evening with his older brother, Josh, preparing for his school’s Parent-Teacher Association carnival. For the second year, students could enter a soda bottle-decorating contest as part of Grant Elementary’s fall fundraising carnival and silent auction.

“I made a soda bottle into a robot with cardboard, cans and tinfoil,” Chase said. “It had a fake control panel. I like robots and thought it would be fun to make.”

At the Sept. 16 carnival, Chase won honorable mention and decided to buy back his creation for $5 instead of playing a game similar to a cakewalk in hopes of winning it back.

Chase’s younger brother, Tyler, also entered the contest. The second-grader made his pop bottle into a black crayon with the help of older brother, Eric. But his favorite part of the carnival was the bouncy houses.

The houses were moved in the school gym because of a rainstorm. Games, such as the Evans brothers’ favorite, “Junk in the Trunk,” were moved into school hallways. A silent auction, featuring items such as movie and pizza parties, Principal for the Day, origami parties, Utah State Fair passes, sports passes and area gift cards and services were available for bidding. In addition, each grade donated items that were assembled into baskets for the auction. Students’ basket themes included were sports, barbecuing and camping, as well as a basket designed for a boy and one for a girl.

“We only do two fundraisers each year, the carnival and auction in the fall and our fun run in the spring,” Grant Elementary PTA Jennifer Oviatt. “By doing this, we are able to keep 100 percent of the money made. Last year, the PTA was able to give the school $10,000. We feel like this is incredibly valuable to our school and to its students.”

The money raised is earmarked for upper-grade reading aides’ salaries and updating the school library’s power-hour literacy materials.

Oviatt, who said this year’s goal was to match last year’s, said several hundred people packed into the hallways, classrooms and gym this year.

“The best part of the event is it gives the community an opportunity to come together and have fun while supporting and improving the education of the kids in their school. I personally love to walk around and see all of the kids playing the carnival games and getting so excited when they win. I also enjoy seeing all of the parents, grandparents and families there together,” she said.

Chase and Tyler’s mother, Stacie, said in addition to the parent volunteers, there were about 25 junior and senior high students who helped with the event.

“It was crowded, but really fun and these students did a great job helping make sure everyone had a good time at the carnival,” PTA volunteer coordinator Evans said.

Riverview Junior High, Liberty Elementary and Parkside Elementary also recently held their own school carnivals.