East Texas Baptist University’s Learning and Leading classes once again ushered in the fall season with the 15th annual Fall Festival for Marshall elementary students on September 28. The schools included Trinity Episcopal School, Sam Houston Elementary, David Crockett Elementary, Price T. Young Elementary, and Marshall Early Childhood Center. First held in 2011, the Fall Festival has grown into a longstanding tradition that connects ETBU students with children and families in Marshall.
“The heart behind the Fall Festival is Christ and His example of servant leadership,” ETBU Student Success Specialist Corliss Emery said. “As a Christ-centered institution, it is part of our calling to serve the Marshall community, and one of the ways we get to do that is through the Fall Festival. This annual event helps our newest ETBU Tigers engage with our community through local elementary schools while learning valuable, hands-on leadership skills they will carry with them wherever God calls them to serve in the future.”
The Fall Festival service project is held as part of the Learning and Leading class, a faculty-led required course during ETBU students’ first semester. The class meets weekly and incorporates service opportunities throughout the semester, giving students the opportunity to apply what they are learning about servant leadership beyond the classroom.
“Serving at the schools lets us help kids and brighten their day in some way,” freshman elementary education major Jaiden Brown said. “As a future teacher, I want to help kids learn in a positive environment, so volunteering in this way connects directly with my major. Fall Festival was fun because the kids were so excited to meet ETBU students, get free candy, and have their faces painted. You could see they were happy being around us and enjoyed us serving them.”
This year, 420 ETBU freshmen and transfer students participated in the Fall Festival, bringing games, activities, face painting, and other carnival experiences to children from the five participating schools. The event gave ETBU students a chance to work together outside the classroom while creating a welcoming, joyful experience for more than 400 elementary students and their families.
“It means a lot to me to be able to serve with the schools every week because I'm able to make an impact on the kids every time I go,” freshman mass communication major Izayah Donaldson said. “Serving at Fall Festival was fun. The kids laughed at the games, and I loved making the kids smile with their families.”
