Sara Sandstrom-Kobi, Nederland. Friday evening was Carnival time at Nederland Elementary! The PTA held their annual Carnival for students and families and it was, as usual, a fantastic event. The gymnasium, cafeteria and Kiva were full of smiles and a positive sense of community.

NES staff and volunteers hosted several activities including: Sumo wrestling, fingernail painting, ring toss, giant Jenga, bean bag toss, fishing pond, hockey and a cake walk. Nederland firefighters were there to teach kids how to Stop, Drop and Roll. A little spray from a fire extinguisher brought laughter as kids rolled down the mat. The lines were long as students went from one activity to another. It was wonderful to see some high school students take time out of their Friday evening to support the elementary school, too. The NMSHS Robotics Team was there showing off their awesome robot. A former NES student and now a high school junior, Cooper Nielson volunteered to man the popcorn machine. Anyone who wanted popcorn was met with a smile, high-five and a fresh hot bag of buttery popcorn. 

Outside parent volunteers stood in the chilly May evening to grill burgers and hotdogs for the big crowd. There was even a magician to give the kids a break from all the other activities. Doc Murdoch entertained the crowd with his tricks and humor. 

Parents mingled around the Silent Auction tables bidding on a variety of items. There were donations from restaurants, museums, artists, massage therapists and even an airline. Many local businesses are donating their time, talents and products for our school. 

I took some time to stand in the middle of the gymnasium and let the energy swirl around me. I looked and listened to what was happening. I saw Ms. Ness and Ms. Sylvest putting more energy into a cake walk than I have ever seen before. I saw Ms. Kim Hodges painting sparkly nail polish on finger after finger. I saw Ms. Randy Sachter and Ms. Reckert helping kids get into Sumo wrestling gear for hours. I saw parents bidding in the Silent Auction. Why? What is all this for? We do it for our kids. We do this so all our kids can go on field trips. We do this so all our kids can go to outdoor education camps and participate in Ned SHRED. We do this so all our kids can see Colorado’s State Capitol building and go to a theater and see a play. We do this so our kids can experience and learn more than what is available in the traditional classroom. We do this because we are a community that cares about our kids. 

The Nederland Elementary PTA Carnival is a fundraiser and a way to celebrate the end of the year. With two weeks left in the school year this was a wonderful way to come together to celebrate and support the kids in our community. 

(Originally published in the May 16, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)