Holleman Elementary (HES) has a proud tradition of hosting its annual Fall Festival for students, families, and the community. The school’s active Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) has hosted the event for at least the past 30 years. Current HES PTO members can remember attending the festival when they were children.

“Holleman PTO hosts this event for two reasons: to provide a fun-filled day for the community and students and also raise money to benefit the students and staff at Holleman Elementary,” PTO President Morgan Fountain said

The HES PTO Board takes the lead in organizing the event with the assistance of all members, teachers, and students. They begin planning the Fall Festival in late spring to early summer in order to gather donations, choose game booths, and auction items. HES also has help from other Waller ISD schools on the day of the festival. National Junior Honor Society members representing both Waller Junior High (WJH) and Schultz Junior High (SJH), WJH Cheerleaders and Band, SJH Student Council, Waller High School (WHS) JROTC, and WHS Spanish Club were all there to support HES.

This year, there were 32 game booths, three bounce houses, and a hayride open for all to enjoy. The PTO decides on what games to include in the festival by comparing previous festivals to see what games attracted the most people and positive reviews. One of the most popular booths was the dunk tank, especially when students got the chance to dunk Principal Ashley Abke.

“Kids were constantly coming up and asking me what time I would be at the dunk tank,” Abke said.

All the proceeds made from the festival go towards supporting HES. PTO helps pay for field trips for all grade levels, an End of the Year Celebration, and educational opportunities throughout the year. PTO also uses the funds for teacher appreciation and campus improvement projects.

“Holleman PTO is committed to promoting the educational and emotional well-being of both the staff and the students while enriching their educational experiences,” Fountain said.

Thank you to event sponsors Appel Ford of Brenham, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Barry Fleet Services, BE Water Well, Coldwell Banker - The Leiber Team, Edward Jones, Liberty Home Builders, Magnolia Gardens Nursery, Prosperity Bank and Rafter X Services. Sponsor gifts included monetary donations for festival needs, advertising, and auction items.