The annual fund-raiser for the Demopolis City Schools Foundation, Schoolfest, will be underway throughout the day today at Westside Elementary, U.S. Jones, and Demopolis Middle School.

The youngest children at Westside Elementary School will begin the day’s activities at 8:30 in the morning, while U.S. Jones Elementary students will start later in the day.

Demopolis Middle School will begin the event’s festivities at 12:30 today.

Jan McDonald, the executive director for the Demopolis City Schools Foundation, said that Schoolfest is their biggest fund-raiser for the schools.

The grants given by the foundation are awarded to teachers and educational professionals of Demopolis City Schools to supplement the increasing costs associated with quality education.

The DCSF organization has been substantially successful since it was established in 1993.

For 2006, the grants committee for the foundation awarded a total of $55,000 to Demopolis City Schools.

Demopolis High School received around $22,000, U.S. Jones Elementary School received almost $4,000, and Demopolis Middle School was awarded over $20,000.

Westside Elementary School was also awarded a grant from the foundation for over $9,000 for 2006.

A particular number of grants have been awarded to Demopolis City school educators for multi-media equipment and computer software.

DCF executive director, Jan McDonald, makes a valuable contribution to the organization and plays a central role in the success of the foundation.

Barbara Hill, the Community Education Director, has done twenty-first century grant writing and has also made a contribution to the educational funding efforts of Demopolis City Schools.

The school that sells the most tickets for the event will receive the Schoolfest trophy, which was awarded to Demopolis High School last year.

“We exceeded our sales from 2005. I would like to thank the citizens from Marengo County. Let’s do it again next year,” Annie Watson, Demopolis High School Fish Fry and Schoolfest Director, said.

Student Ashton Tucker, at Demopolis Middle School, designed the Schoolfest T-shirt for this year.

Students at Demopolis High School will be released from school early today.

Demopolis Middle School will also have their first annual Mr. DMS Pageant, which will begin at 9:00 a.m. today.

The admissions fee for attending the Schoolfest event is $5.