St. Joseph School Celebrates Spring Fair With Fiesta Flair

By Francine Fulton

St. Joseph School was transformed into a giant fiesta complete with food, games, music and entertainment during the Downingtown school’s recent Spring Fair.

Held on a Friday evening, the event drew hundreds of school students, their families and staff members, who enjoyed activities such as face painting, sand art, games and one of the most popular attractions - a rock climbing wall. Attendees were also given an opportunity to win gift baskets created by students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

This year, for the first time, the Spring Fair also included a student art show and fiesta-themed decorations created by the students under the direction of art teacher Lorraine Smith.

“All of the different grades made tissue flowers,” said Smith, who noted that all St. Joseph students take part in a weekly hourlong art class.

Others involved in the art projects included kindergarten students, who colored paper geckos (Mexican lizards), and first-graders, who colored paper sombreros. Second-graders made decorative paper cutouts that were displayed throughout the school building.

Fourth-graders made God’s eyes, which are cultural weavings done in Mexico, while sixth-graders displayed weavings they made with yarn using a lap loom.

Those who visited the event could also view a life-size likeness of Our Lady of Guadalupe surrounded by roses. According to Roman Catholic tradition, a Mexican man named Juan Diego saw a vision of the Virgin Mary in December of 1531. When people asked Juan Diego for a miraculous sign to prove his claim, he found fresh roses in the middle of winter and gathered them in his cloak. When he presented the roses to the town’s bishop, the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe miraculously appeared imprinted on the cloth.

The image displayed during the Spring Fair was drawn by Smith, an artist in her own right, and painted by third- and fourth-grade students.

In the school cafeteria, where a disc jockey provided music, students made papier-mâché moroccos to place on the tables.

“We took balloons and attached them to empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls,” Smith explained. “Then, we used a flour and water mixture and spread it over the balloons, which made the mold. We let it dry for a couple of days, and then we painted them.

“It was quite process; it wasn’t a one-day class, but it was a lot of fun,” she added.

In addition to decorations, there were also samples of student artwork on display during the Spring Fair, including shoe and sneaker drawings completed by fourth-graders.

Smith said combining the art show with the Spring Fair was a great success.

“We’ve always had art here, but this is the first time we’ve had an art teacher,” she said, noting art class was formerly taught by volunteers. “The children want their parents to see their artwork. They are proud and excited. It’s not about the adults, it’s about them. I love the fact that the children got to take part in it.”

The Spring Fair at St. Joseph School is presented annually by the school’s Home and School Association. This year, nearly 300 volunteers helped make it a success.

“It is a huge event for our school families,” said Tina Perelli, chairman of the Spring Far Committee. “We need a lot of volunteers to make it work.”

CAPTIONS:

PIC A:

Photo by Francine Fulton

St. Joseph School in Downingtown recently held its Spring Fair, which featured a fiesta theme. Displaying Mexican moroccos made of papier-mâché and paper flowers are kindergarten student Frankie Ferrazzano (left) and first-grader Gillian Porter.

PIC B:

Photo by Francine Fulton

Jackson Campbell, a first-grade student at St. Joseph School in Downingtown, enjoyed climbing the rock wall at the school’s annual Spring Fair.

PIC C:

Photo by Francine Fulton

Leigh Roselli, a student at St. Joseph School in Downingtown, got a chance to try her hand at creating sand art during the school’s recent Spring Fair.

PIC D:

Photo by Francine Fulton

Face painting was one of the many activities featured during the recent Spring Fair held at St. Joseph School in Downingtown. Mia Schaller (right), a first-grader, enjoyed getting her face painted by Stephanie Leonhardt, a student at Downingtown High School East.

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Spring Fair