Cook Elementary Connects Families with Both Services and Fun at Fall Festival

By Kerry Wiggins

Parent involvement coordinator at Cook Elementary School

Many Forsyth county elementary schools hold fun-filled fall festivals where students and their families enjoy an evening of child friendly games, crafts and food. Yet, how many can claim that the evening proved highly educational for the parents and provided potentially life-changing information for their family?

Cook Elementary staff and volunteers decided to incorporate something new and innovative in to their school’s Fall Festival this year.

“We have some wonderful resources in our community that provide needed support for struggling families in the areas of hunger, health, education and job training, said Danielle Lamphier, a First Presbyterian Church volunteer helping to lead this new addition to the festival.

“It’s important that parents and other caregivers are aware of what is available so that they and their children can benefit from these services.  That’s why we have invited organizations like The Speech Bus, H.O.P.E. of Winston-Salem, Goodwill Industries Job Training, The Center for Smart Financial Choices, Top Priority Services and the WSSU Mobile Health unit to join us at the third annual Cook Elementary Fall Festival.”

Attendee Jacqueline Hairston was enthusiastic about the service organizations attending this year’s event. She had brought her nieces to attend the festival and discovered that she was benefiting from coming herself.  Ms. Hairston was particularly interested in hearing more about the Speech Bus because she was not familiar with it prior to her coming to the festival. Another attendee, James Tate, had brought his daughter and a friend to the Fall Festival. He was very pleased he had come as he had spoken with several of the service providers and picked up some brochures.  Mr. Tate said, “They should have this kind of information at every school event!”

Brenda Williams, a representative from the Center for Smart Financial Choices remarked that “Including service providers at a school event is a wonderful idea.  It gives families a venue to obtain good information they might not otherwise receive.”

H.O.P.E. of Winston-Salem’s Marty Tennille relayed that “H.O.P.E. of Winston-Salem was excited to be able to bring the big green truck to Cook’s Fall Festival! As soon as details are worked out, we hope to be able to bring delicious free lunches to anyone ages 0-18 on Sundays at 3 p.m. at Cook Elementary. No registration needed, just food and fun!”

Kerry M. Wiggins, Parental Involvement Coordinator at Lafayette A. Cook Elementary School was one of the driving forces behind the new and improved Fall Festival.

“Incorporating community resources into our Fall Festival equals a big win for everyone!” she said. “It re-enforces the School-Parent-Student-Community Involvement concept. Assembling several resources in one location at an event such as this offers something for everyone – fun activities and crafts for the little ones, to housing opportunities and financial pathways for our parents. We hope to increase the number of family events, as well as agencies represented, next year.

“I especially want to thank my principal, Christopher Massenburg, for allowing me to implement this model, and to First Presbyterian Church for loving and supporting the families of Cook Elementary School.”