Westside Elementary School, U.S. Jones Elementary and Demopolis Middle School, celebrated Schoolfest on Friday and made fundraising great fun for participating students.

“It’s an annual day of fun to raise funds,” Connie Brown, assistant principal at Demopolis Middle said.

Although the sun wasn’t shining all day, the smiles were bright on the faces of Westside Elementary students.

“I love playing outside,” Keely Smith, a kindergarten student at Westside, said. “It’s fun.”

The children participating in Schoolfest at Westside, had several activities to choose from, which included face-painting, games and jumping booths.

“It is fun. The kids are having a great time,” Debra Cross, Westside volunteer, said.

Schoolfest volunteer Leslie Morrison, mother of first-grader Ryan Morrison at Westside Elementary, also said the children seemed to be enjoying the day’s events at the school.

A number of the students at U.S. Jones Elementary School enjoyed a variety of activities, including hayrides, karaoke and games of tug-of-war.

“It has been going wonderfully. The kids are having a ball,” fifth-grade U.S. Jones teacher Paula Bond said.

“The hayride was awesome,” Makiyha Lewis, fourth-grader at U.S. Jones, said.

The large group of participating students on the ballfield at Demopolis Middle School gathered close to the stage where DJ Baby Bruce was entertaining the crowd Friday afternoon.

“We have a lot of kids,” seventh-grade DMS teacher Debra Austin said.

Schoolfest activities today at DMS also included the Mr.DMS pageant, followed by a movie and snacks for the students.

“It’s great for them,” DMS teacher Keesha Jamison said.

DMS students Tiarra McCoy and Brittney Bryant enthusiastically expressed their interest in the block party. “It is krunk,” both of the students said.

Despite less than perfect weather, the students were excited about the Schoolfest fundraising effort and were grateful to take a break from their school studies.

“We didn’t have to do as much work, and it is fun,” McKenzie Walker, a first-grade student at Westside, said.