Island Pacific Academy Parent Association’s 2015 Fall Family Festival was bigger and better this year with a two-story haunted fun house, food truck vendors, lots of games, and small business booths; Michele Glukfeld, President of the IPA’s Parents Association (IPAPA), says the ultimate reason for the annual event’s success is the volunteers–parents and students–that make it all happen.
The Fall Family Festival has an authentic community vibe with the majority of activities and games planned, manned, and sometimes even created by high school students for the enjoyment of younger children.
“I’m thankful for the hard-working Fall Family Festival volunteers and a planning committee made of both parents and IPA staff,” says Glukfeld. “We have a core group of people who really pulled out all the stops. Planning and lots of coordinated volunteer power made this year’s event a huge success thanks to the work of many parents, faculty, staff, and students.”
Secondary principal Kip Cummings was one of many staff who volunteered to get soaked in the “dunk booth” during the Fall Family Festival.
Glukfeld credits Michelle Fuller, IPAPA Secretary, with an improved layout for the event. “She is creative and innovative. Her ideas and implementation of them resulted in a vastly improved Fall Family Festival from years past.” Fuller and Steven Porcello (IPAPA Vice President) were the force in planning, developing, and building the two-level haunted house in the Elementary building. Glukfeld says Porcello “was our ‘go to’ person providing all of the materials and labor for the Haunted House prior the event, the construction the night before, the day of and then during take down of the event afterwards.
An elementary student braves the portable ropes course at the Fall Family Festival.
Skill games lined the front of each building with favorites like a milk bottle knock-down, skee ball, ping pong ball bouncing, and several bean bag toss challenges.
A skee ball game in the “cardboard arcade” (all games were created by high school art students using cardboard) was quite popular at the Fall Family Festival. Vendor booths and food tents can be seen filling the parking lot in front of the Secondary building.
The fundraising book sale for the Elementary library continued during the Fall Family Festival. Students of all ages enjoyed the “make and take” arts and crafts area as well.
Two friends get ready to make a quick art project at a crafts table near the book sale during the Festival.
“There are so many people to thank like Karena Adams, Diane Hunkele, Shaniqua Kennedy and family, Lillian Napuelua, Taffy Perucci, Thad Spreg, Aja-Ann Woodman, Michelle Bradley, Emily Brown, Terry Fuller, Rich Griffin, Roxy Ortiz, Molly Ripton, Cassy Rooney and family, Nydia Santiago-Cordero, and Shannon Vasilash,” says Glukfeld.
A young boy has fun on the rock climbing wall at the Island Pacific Academy Fall Family Festival.
Again, thank you everyone for making IPAPA’s Fall Family Festival a success and making IPA a great community!
