HOUSTON - Students at Houston Lower Elementary School took a break from the classroom and enjoyed games and prizes at the second annual fall festival. Students also celebrated spirit week.

The chance for rain and strong winds moved the festival indoors, but school staff and parent volunteers decorated the classrooms, hallways, and gym with hay, scarecrows, and pumpkins, and created eight stations, from a cake walk to square dancing to a horseshoe toss.

“We were disappointed about having to move the festival indoors, but everything turned out a success, from the decorations to the games,” said Emily Speck, HLES principal.

Members from the Houston High School Anchor Club volunteered their time and helped with games and with transitioning students to each station.

“We appreciate their help. They were a big asset to us this year,” Speck said.

Speck said she was also appreciative of her staff’s good attitude and the parents who volunteered their time to make this day so successful.

In addition to the fall festival, students dressed up each day in different attire, from pajama day, character/camo day, red day, hat day, and hillbilly day. A winner was selected from each homeroom everyday.

“Testing and being accountable for grades is very important, but creating memorable school moments in a child’s life is also important. These students are accountable for so much more than we were when we were children that sometimes we just have to stop for a day, have fun and let our students enjoy being kids,” Speck said.