HIGH POINT, N.C., Nov. 9, 2016 – Nine-year-old Timothy Ratley hopped across the finish line with a smile on his face as he finished the sack race. “Did you win?” a friend asked him. “No,” shouted Jamauri Saunders, Ratley’s classmate, with a grin. “I definitely won.”
High Point University welcomed children from Montlieu Academy to the Slane Student Center for the annual Fall Festival, an afternoon of face painting, classic carnival games and snacks.
Led by the HPU Volunteer Center, the event hosted approximately 100 students who have received honor roll recognition or exhibited good behavior since the start of the school year at Montlieu.
“We do this once a semester and we’re so excited to partner with Montlieu to hold this event,” said Anna Ventrone, coordinator of residential services. “We always look forward to hosting and honoring the students with a fun time at HPU.”
Students were divided into small groups and traveled throughout the Slane Center Gymnasium visiting stations that offered everything from Simon Says to fishing for matching rubber ducks in a small pool.
“It’s really great to have the opportunity to bring our students to a prominent university like HPU for a day of fun,” said Krystle Glover, a fifth-grade teacher at Montlieu. “Not only is it an opportunity to reward their hard work, but it’s also a chance for them to see a university and hopefully feel motivated to set their sights on reaching that goal.”
Fourth grader Tykia Underwood stared up at the carnival banners that lined the walls and said that she was excited to be at the festival and couldn’t wait to play all the games.
“I really can’t wait to play with the ducks in the water,” she said. “But, my favorite part has been the sack race. I fell down, but I still won.”