The Annual Fitz Fest Unites the Community

On April 12, 2024, the very first Fizt Fest took place. Many people attended, including teachers, parents, performers, and of course, students. This was a fun event that gave students a chance to showcase their talents and make money for their electives or clubs. 

This event was organized mostly by the PTO (parent-teacher organization). This organization was really helpful. They handled almost everything. “They did the whole thing, from organizing the speakers, getting prizes, doing the talent show auditions, raising funds, getting the people for the food sales, etc. They planned everything from start to finish,” Mr. Gomez said. 

The most interesting part of this event was being able to watch your peers showcase talents you may not have known they had and seeing beautiful artwork by your classmates. There were a series of performances judged by Lalo the Giant, Rob the Original, etc. They also donated the prize money. The winner was a trio performed by Mylan Wagner, Emma Nguyen, and Lynn Pham. They sang “Heather” by Connan Gray. They won a whopping $500 dollars. The winner for the art contest was Serenity Briggs who was also awarded $500. She drew a character that looked very beautiful and vibrant.  Every performer and artist did a great job. Students all around were buzzing about the talent.  An eighth grader said, “It was crazy seeing everyone I know showing their talents.''

Another interesting aspect of the Fitz Fest was the stands students set up. Eighth-grade AVID students set up various carnival games and sold various things to raise money and learn about entrepreneurship. Mrs. Bullis and Mr. Nguyen told students that they could keep the profits. They did so to motivate students to do their best and get real-world experience. In the process, students learned about starting a business and techniques on how to reach customers. Savie Tran, an 8th grader who ran a stand, said, “You learn how to advertise your business and learn what makes someone interested in your stand, and patience—the first hour no one came, but after a little bit I learned how to attract people over.” Students learned important business skills that could help them in the future. 

Teachers enjoyed this event too! The event wasn't targeted towards a certain demographic, as long as you wanted to have fun as a family, you could go.  Mr. Dishong attended Fitz Fest with his wife and two kids. When asked why students should go, he said, “Why not? It was fun to play games with your friends. What else are you going to do?  Sit at home and play video games?” He enjoyed it as did many other teachers who went. 

The Fitz Fest was a great time for everyone who went. There were tons of attractions and booths. By attending this event students spent time with their friends and supported their school!