HMA gets into the spirit with 7th annual Harvest Festival fundraiser
Many parents, community members and students walked around the Harmony Magnet Academy (HMA) patio, some dressed in Halloween costumes and others were there to enjoy the delicious food being offered.
This was the seventh annual Harvest Festival, where about 20 high school clubs from Harmony Magnet Academy and Strathmore High School (SHS) set up tables to sell food for a good cause.
“We have a Harvest Festival every year. It has always been the same, but this year we really wanted to expand the event and promote it more,” said Matthew Brown, HMA Associated Student Body President, who also was in charge of putting the Harvest Festival together. “We have a little bit of everything today.”
People planning to purchase food had to purchase tickets for 50 cents each as they walked into the event. Each booth had different foods like Strathmore High School Cheer, who were selling tacos, or the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MECHA) club, who was selling flavored water like Horchata.
Clubs like MECHA, Christian Club and the Symphony Orchestra Club were fundraising
for academic trips or group events. The Symphony Orchestra Club was fundraising for a trip they plan to take to Hawaii.
“It has been fun and stressful getting the clubs together,” said Brown. “But it is really nice to see the turnout, the amount of people here willing to help us while enjoying the food being sold.”
Luis Arreola, Thomas Lamb, Marina Lopez Rosas and Salvador Centeno were all selling popcorn and candy bags for their Rocketry Club.
“We are fundraising for our rocketry competition,” said Rosas. “We are going build a rocket to be able to participate in the Team America Rocketry Challenge competition.”
Rosas and the rest of the group said the rocketry competition has two phases.
“The first step is when they come our school campus and see if we are qualified to enter the competition. Then the second step is the competition, which takes place out of state,” added Rosas.
The club members said they want to at least send two students to the competition and hope to get some funds.
Michelle Martinez, Dylan Callison, Jose Corona and Julio Beltran were also selling goods for the Class of 2022. They are currently in their first year of high school, but are already fundraising for student class activities that will take place in the future.
There was music playing and an inflatable obstacle course for the public to enjoy.
“I have been here since it started. I saw the pumpkin contest, ate tacos, did the obstacle course and now waiting for some nachos,” said one content attendee named Andriano. “I’ve had a great time overall.”