SchoolFest 2013 will be held Friday, May 17 to support the Demopolis City Schools Foundation.

Westside Elementary, US Jones Elementary and Demopolis Middle School campuses will hold outdoor events for their students. The funds raised by the event are used in support of the classroom grants program, providing projects, programs and equipment that foster excellence in the classroom.

“The teachers work hard to develop age-appropriate activities for the students at each school,” Amanda Barnes, executive director of the Foundation, said. “This is an opportunity for the teachers and students who directly benefit from the classroom grants program to help raise funds for that program.”

This will also be the 20th Anniversary of SchoolFest. The original SchoolFest was held in the spring of 1993 at the City Landing, and moved the following year to the school campuses. In 20 years, the event has raised over $360,000 for the Foundation.

“It’s a great day for kids to get out of the classroom for a couple hours and have fun,” Barnes said. “It also provides an opportunity for the students and teachers to get involved with the Foundation.”

Grants Committee Chairperson Aliquippa Allen sees the connection between a successful SchoolFest and a superior classroom experience.

“We encourage parents to make sure their children attend and support SchoolFest,” Allen said. “This is the Foundation’s largest fundraiser, bringing in over $20,000 last year. This allows us to make grants for Smartboards, ELMOs, laptops, iPads and even library books and new curriculum resources. The Foundation grants really make the difference between an adequate education and an excellent one.”

Each school offers different age-appropriate games and activities for students to enjoy during the day. In the past, Westside has had a bounce house, and Demopolis Middle School has had a teacher dunk tank.

The cost for students to attend SchoolFest this year is $10 for students at Westside and U.S. Jones, and $12 for Demopolis Middle School students.

The school that raises the most money for the Foundation will receive the SchoolFest trophy that the school gets to keep for the entire year.