Children’s Education Center Welcomes Summer with Year-End Carnival
For the second year in a row, the Parent Association (PA) of the BCCS Children’s Education Center organized an end-of-year carnival for the students and teachers.
The carnival brought bounce houses, an ice cream truck, festival games, snacks, and prizes to the Brookville campus for students to enjoy. The PA curated the event’s activities to benefit both pre-school and school-age children that were inclusive of mobility and sensory needs.
“We really worked to make everything inclusive,” said PA Co-president Lisa Fanoso. “The preschool came out first. We wanted to make sure they had their run before the others came out. We had sprinklers for them to run through and for those with different mobility needs.”
A highlight was the water slide, which according to Lisa, was an immediate hit. “We thought, ‘The kids would love this.’”
The carnival is not only a signal of summer but also a celebration of a successful school year, giving children, teachers, and staff a chance to feel good about everything they’ve accomplished.
“The carnival is a good opportunity for the kids to get outside and enjoy some movement, some fine motor activities during the warmer days,” Teacher Kristen D’Arienzo said.
Lisa Fanoso and Stacey Duquette led the PA for two years, raising funds to organize events for the school including the Winter Wagon Wonderland, a teacher appreciation luncheon in February, and this year-end carnival.
Along with Lisa and Stacey, ten additional PA members volunteered to help run the carnival stations. Parents Jessica Delpercio and Robyn Semilof volunteered at the snack table helping students pick out treats in between carnival games.
“It’s amazing, our kids were very excited for the days leading up to it, talking about it,” said Jessica. “My daughter loved the water slide. There’s something for everyone to enjoy today.”
Parents Reesa Turturro and Yun Jeong Ko volunteered at the “Design a Carnival Bag!” station, where students had the opportunity to decorate a paper bag with gems and stickers to hold all their carnival prizes.
Reesa and Yun Jeong shared their appreciation for the Education Center, and the positive impact it’s had on their children, especially the staff’s dedication to helping children prepare for life after BCCS.
Events like the Year-End Carnival provide children an opportunity to experience a carnival-summer fest experience with their classmates, teachers and families.
“Here, you feel calm because everybody is in the same boat,” Reesa said. “Everybody understands what’s going on. It’s a great opportunity for the kids to just be kids. It helps us as parents, because we know they’re having a great time. We could be ourselves too and just relax.”
The children were provided with a full carnival experience. They played ring toss for prizes, sat for temporary tattoos, and designed their own sunglasses. They braked for lunch and ice cream to refuel before heading back out for another round of fun with their friends.