The Binks Forest Elementary School Fall Carnival was held on Saturday, Nov. 7, and raised $20,324 for the school.
The 2015 event was attended by approximately 2,000 people. Money raised from the event will be used to purchase iPads for the school’s new Project Lead the Way program — a STEM curriculum that provides students with activities that are project-based and problem-based — along with other technology to help monitor student learning. Approximately 1,100 students attend Binks Forest Elementary School.
Presenting sponsors for this year’s carnival included Pike & Lustig LLP Turnpike Law, the Center for Bone & Joint Surgery of the Palm Beaches, Palm Beach International Realty and Bethesda Health/Bethesda Hospital West. The carnival offered a variety of activities for all ages, including bounce houses and slides, a bungee trampoline, a rock-climbing wall, a petting zoo, nearly 30 carnival games, a vendor boutique, food vendors and more than 70 themed raffle baskets.
Baskets valued at $250 or more were put together by the PTA room parents and included donations from local businesses, such as the Palm Beach Riding Academy and Equestrian Sport Productions, and from Florida attractions, such as Sea World Orlando and the Walt Disney World Resort, as well as electronic items including an Xbox One console and a GoPro camera. Local dance troupes, Binks Forest cheerleaders and high school bands performed on the Wellington stage throughout the day.
The annual event is hosted by the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and relies on the efforts of parents, teachers and volunteers. The school’s biggest annual event, the Fall Carnival is one of many exciting events on the Binks calendar sponsored by the PTA.
On Jan. 20, the school will host its annual Family STEAM Night, when Binks students and families will explore interactive centers about science, technology, engineering, art and math concepts. The centers will be sponsored by companies and attractions including the South Florida Science Center, Lion Country Safari, the Solid Waste Authority, First Lego League, ArtStart and more. The community is invited to attend.
On March 11, the PTA will sponsor the Owl-lo-ha Family Dance, a fun event with a DJ, games, food and more.
“The Fall Carnival is a great tradition at Binks Forest Elementary,” Binks Forest PTA President Tanya Siskind said. “Every year, the carnival seems to get bigger and better, and we are incredibly proud of the tremendous support that we receive from the community and from our sponsors, vendors, teachers, room parents and all of the volunteers that it takes to make this event a huge success.”
For more information about the Binks Forest Elementary PTA, visit www.binksforestpta.com.
ABOVE: Binks Forest student Ari Buckstein with tickets for the raffle baskets, next to his second-grade teacher, Christine McDermott, and her son Declan.
