Pumpkins are ready to roll. WG Mallett students spent the morning Friday, Oct. 21, decorating their pumpkins for a pumpkin roll, the main afternoon event. Brian Ponce/Franklin Journal

FARMINGTON — WG Mallett School hosted its annual Fall Frolic on Friday, Oct 21. The day included arts and crafts, a trip to Bonney Woods, a pumpkin roll, and many other activities.

Originally created to complement the school’s other seasonal activity days [the Spring Fling and Winter Fun Day], The Fall Frolic was more formalized following the COVID-19 outbreak. In the year before, the school only did indoor activities because of COVID-19 restrictions. Consisting of kids from pre-Kindergarten through second grade, Principal Tracy Williams wanted to make a big push for the day to have lots of outdoor activities. “It felt important to bring back a fun event for students [to go] outdoors, where they didn’t have to wear masks,” she said.

The morning activities included apple pressing and making cider, a trough to explore pumpkin innards and seeds, arts and craft activities, field play and classrooms decorating a pumpkin that would compete in a pumpkin roll later in the day.

In the afternoon, students got to enjoy a trip to Bonney Woods, dancing with Mad Louie, playground games and a pumpkin roll for the grand finale. Classrooms got a chance to compete by rolling pumpkins down a hill by the school playground. The winning class was Miss Libby’s second grade classroom.

Principal Tracy Williams at left watches second graders roll pumpkins down a small hill. The pumpkin roll was the grand finale of Mallett’s Fall Frolic on Friday, Oct 21.  Brian Ponce/Franklin Journal

Organization of the event fell on teachers, volunteer staff members and Williams. The staff worked tirelessly to ensure that the students had a day of fun and joy, which was the highest priority for Williams. “It’s always more work than it appears on the surface and I really appreciate the energy and stamina of the staff in creating memorable events for our students,” she noted.

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