For the first time in Museum School history, The Gallery is set to host its very own school carnival to raise funds to send writers and editors to the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Spring Convention. The carnival is scheduled for Thursday, March 2, and all Museum School will be attending in the gymnasium during their grade’s elective period.

The carnival will feature concessions, bowling, throwing pies at teachers, a three-legged race, basketball, a duck pond, ring toss, a donut eating competition, face painting, tarot card readings, a water coin drop, and henna, all run by staff members of The Gallery. Each student will receive two free tickets at the door, and can buy additional tickets while the carnival is being held.  Tickets will also be sold before the event, from Feb.27 – March 1, in front of Ms. DeStefano’s classroom, Room 202.

All proceeds from the carnival will allow staff members of The Gallery to attend the Spring Convention hosted by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. This annual forum, held at Columbia University in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan every March, unites student-run newspapers from across the country through hundreds of educational conferences with leading journalists. Museum School’s PTA agreed to contribute $1000 to support the cause.

The Gallery’s Editor-in-Chief Cindy Jiang explained, “Both Ms. Destefano and I have attended or taught at schools that hosted carnivals. Mine was always really fun, and we wish to provide that same excitement and experience to our Museum School students.”

The Museum School community agrees. Sadie Stoller, a Museum School Freshman, said, “I think it’s an exciting [idea], it’s gonna get people’s attention.”

Principal Rodrigues expressed support for the student-led project. “I think it’s a great idea; it was a student generated idea, and any idea that comes from students I always try my best to have my team support, since I don’t want to turn away any students when they have [an] interest in planning an event,” said Mr. Rodrigues.

Given the costly nature of attending the conference, only select staff members will be able to attend. According to Jiang, “There are 60+ members within the newspaper, and we are currently the school’s largest club. With funding from the PTA, as well as what we hope to make from the carnival, we are aiming to send anywhere from 10-15 students. For this to happen, we’d need to profit around $1000 from the carnival.”

The carnival will sell four tickets for $1, with each game costing between 3 to 12 tickets. Tickets will be sold at the door, but will also go on presale from Monday, February 27th to Wednesday, March 1st outside Ms. Destefano’s room (Room 202) during lunch for students who wish to skip the lines and purchase in advance. Students should also keep an eye out for the 20 free tickets that will be hidden each day in the hallways on February 28th and March 1st. 

Although this will be Museum School’s first carnival ever held, the fundraiser is projected to be a success. Mr. Rodrigues commented, “I’m very optimistic that it’s going to be a successful event where students will enjoy the activities that are being planned, where they get to enjoy each other’s company, make new friends, and forge further connections with teachers.”

Jamie Conroy, co-president of Museum School’s PTA, recounted the PTA’s decision to back the project in a recent meeting. “The PTA voted last week, and we will be donating $1000 towards sending students to Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Annual Conference at Columbia University.”

Mr. Rodrigues later added, “Since I’ve been here we’ve had some successful events. I can’t speak on the events prior to my appointment as principal, but I’ve enjoyed a lot of the schoolwide events, and speaking to students I believe they enjoy them as well.”

Ms. Conroy, on behalf of the PTA, shared this sentiment. “The effort that has been put into it by those involved makes me excited to see how well they do. I hope that this encourages others that have been thinking of fundraisers to get out there and do it!,” said Ms. Conroy. “Come out and support your fellow classmates in their fundraising efforts. One day you may need their support for a club or activity of your own.”

The Gallery hopes to send as many students as possible to Columbia’s Spring Conference, and all Museum School students are highly encouraged to take part in the event to raise the appropriate funds. In the words of Mr. Rodrigues, “I’ll see you there!”