Students and families gather at Graham School to celebrate the MVCSD's annual Fall Festival

The Graham School field and parking lot were filled with crisp leaves, loud music and sounds of enjoyment, as hundreds of Mount Vernon residents walked from table to table, enjoying fun activities, snacks and live performances.  On November 2, 2024, the Mount Vernon City School District held its annual District-wide Fall Festival to promote unity and connection amongst the community. 

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“We’re happy that so many parents and families have come out today,” said Beth Smith, MVCSD parent liaison. “The parent liaisons have worked very hard to pull together organizations from around our community to bring information to our parents and fun activities for the kids to do to help build a sense of community across the District in all seventeen buildings. We’re just very happy to see so many people turn out and enjoy this beautiful day.” 

 During the festival, parents and students had the opportunity to get in touch with community organizations and student assistance programs. The Mount Vernon Youth Bureau, the Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon, the Lincoln School Breast Cancer Committee, and Westchester Community Health were some of the organizations providing community resources and volunteering opportunities. The District even organized a few tables filled with clothing and supplies donated by staff and community members for families to choose from. 

“The purpose of these clothes is to give back to the community. They are clothes that were donated by staff members or other families in the community. We want to be able to give back to those who need it,”  said Sarah McNamee, school social worker at the Graham School.

The Fall Festival also had several fun activities for children and families. In the playground, three bouncy castles were inflated, attracting smiling faces and groups of kids. There was also face painting and balloon animals provided by the District. Many tables were giving away Halloween candy and treats to attendees as well as popcorn, cotton candy and hot dogs given out by food vendors. In another part of the field, families could play games like Connect Four, cornhole and giant Jenga with their children. 

“I am having fun today. I already went to some tables and the event is really nice!”  said Mia Cruz, a student at Mount Vernon STEAM Academy and a former student of Graham. “My favorite part is seeing teachers that I had back in middle school – that means a lot to me – and seeing all of the community service tables and programs that I would like to do. I’m having fun and seeing all my friends that I have at other schools and remembering all of the old times.” 

Inside the gymnasium, the Westchester Barber Academy provided haircuts to students and community members free of charge. 

At noon, a crowd formed on the field to enjoy the live performances from Denzel Washington’s School of Art’s band. There were two electrifying performances given by the horns section and the drums section, which had the crowd dancing to the beat and erupting in cheers.

Parent liaisons of the MVCSD worked tirelessly to organize this event and provide a space for Mount Vernon citizens to wind down during the fall semester and connect with their community, building positive relationships between families and the schools.  

"The Fall Festival is an event held by the Mount Vernon City School District that brings the community together to build relationships, find helpful resources, and have fun at the same time,” said Dr. Jamal Doggett, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Administration.  “The turnout this year was outstanding! I would like to thank everyone who attended the Fall Festival, staff members who volunteered, and a special thank you to the parent liaisons for coordinating this wonderful event."  

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