Ames Fall Festival and its connection to Cultural Arts

The first Ames Festival was held in January 1996 and was started by former parent, Mary Ellen McGuire, as a way to raise money for the PTA to buy computers for the school.  When District 96 ended up funding the computers, the Ames PTA shifted its focus to raising money for Cultural Asts programs.  The choice to support Cultural Arts was made because of impending budget cuts to the Arts by the District.  Though we no longer are faced with such cuts, the PTA is committed to this biennial event and to its mission of providing robust enrichment programs for all Ames students.

The fundraising goal for each Fall Festival is simply to raise enough money to pay for two years of Cultural Arts and enrichment programming. The following outlines how funds from past auctions have been put to use for all the children at Ames. 

2019-2020

Matt Wilhelm: BMX Artist, Back to School Assembly

Halloween Assembly: Magician Trent James

Family Heritage/Multicultural Night

Historical Perspectives Drama: Performer TBD

Kg field trip: Garfield Park Conservatory

1st grade field trip: Museum of Science and Industry

2nd grade field trip: Morton Arboretum

3rd grade field trip: Historical tour through Riverside

4th grade field trip: Frank Lloyd Wright home tour

5th grade field trip:Architectural Boat Tour

Author visit: Author TBD

Artist-in-residence: Artist TBD

2018-2019

Sputnik Screen Printing, Artist-in-Residence

DJ Famos Entertainment, Back to School Assembly

Mad Science Halloween Assembly

Family Heritage/Multicultural Night

Thomas Edison, Historical Perspectives Drama

Kg field trip: Garfield Park Conservatory

1st grade field trip: Museum of Science and Industry

2nd grade field trip: Morton Arboretum

3rd grade field trip: Historical Tour through Riverside

4th grade field trip: Frank Lloyd Wright home tour

5th grade field trip: Architectural Boat Tour

Alan Silberberg Whole School Author visit

2016-2017

Riverside Arts Center, Artist-in-Residence

BMX Artist Matt Wilhelm, Back-to-school assembly

“Getting Excited about Science” with Steve Belliveau, Halloween assembly

Family Heritage Night

Helen Keller, Historical Perspectives drama

Kindergarten field trip

1st grade field trip to Museum of Science and Industry

2nd grade field trip to Riverside Arts Center

3rd grade Trolley Ride through Riverside

4th grade Frank Lloyd Wright home tour

5th grade Architectural Boat Tour

5th grade Skype with Author

2017-2018

Chicago artist, Sandra Dawson, Artist-in-Residence

DJ Famos Entertainment, Back-to-school assembly

Magic by Trent James, Halloween assembly

Family Heritage Night

Laura Ingalls Wilder, Historical Perspectives drama

1st grade field trip to Museum of Science and Industry

2nd grade field trip to Riverside Arts Center

3rd grade Trolley Ride through Riverside

4th grade Frank Lloyd Wright home tour

5th grade Architectural Boat Tour

5th grade Skype with Author