On the bright, sunny afternoon of September 30, the Lookout Mountain School (LMS) Carnival once again brought laughter, joy, and fellowship to the local community. The cherished fundraiser - a tradition for more than seven decades and one of the biggest events of the year for LMS - drew crowds of families, friends, and alumni from across the mountain and beyond.
The excitement started well before Carnival Day, with weeks of friendly class contests to collect donations for the Carnival booths. Students rallied in close competition, bringing in an incredible 1,156 stuffed animals and 861 jamboree jars - nearly breaking school records. Mr. Van Dillion’s third grade class topped the “Stuffies” leaderboard with 139 donations, while Ms. Jenah Cooper’s second grade class swept two categories, winning Jamboree Jars with 118 jars and the Costume Contest with 82 items contributed.
When the big day finally arrived, the celebration began with the much-anticipated Carnival Parade. Students lined up to march alongside parents and teachers at the end of the school day, officially opening the festivities at the Commons. This year’s Carnival King and Queen, first grader Clay Smisson and kindergartner Zahra Monroe, led the charge - a coveted honor bestowed upon the top sellers of Hamilton County Schools Coupon Books. Behind them marched the fifth grade class, proudly enjoying their final Carnival as LMS students.
In a new tradition, the fifth-graders were followed by the brand-new LMS Cheer Squad, a group of 32 second- through fifth-graders who energized the crowd with coordinated cheers and bright smiles as they made their Carnival debut.
Nearly all students and many of the teachers and parents proudly wore this year’s 2025 LMS Carnival T-shirt, which featured an LMS lion waving a bold red pennant with the word “CARNIVAL” beneath the headline “LOOKOUT!” Designed by talented LMS mom Addie Cramer, the T-shirts quickly became a favorite and were purchased by an impressive 97 percent of LMS families.
Once at the Commons, the crowd fanned out to enjoy all the traditional favorites: face painting, colorful hair sprays, bounce houses, and the ever-popular silly string booth. Shoppers flocked to the Costume Corner, Stuffie Tent, and Jamboree Jar tables to hunt for treasures.
The Carnival Kitchen remained a highlight for adults, offering homemade entrees, soups, and baked goods contributed by LMS families and community members. This year, LMS mom Sarah Ellis took over leadership of the Carnival Kitchen from veteran volunteer Lynn Brown, working hard to ensure its ongoing success.
“I’m so grateful for all those who supported Carnival Kitchen this year,” shared Mrs. Ellis. “We had so many friends and grandparents donate this year in addition to parents, all of whom are a huge part of this sweet tradition.”
By the end of the event, all 78 donated casseroles and 126 donated sides and breads had sold - raising more than $5,000 for the school.
This year’s Carnival chairs were LMS moms Lindsey Whittaker, Melissa Koehl, and Laura Cleary, who worked tirelessly alongside assistant chairs Sarah Stevens, Lyndsey Boeselager, and Erin Hart to coordinate dozens of volunteers and donations.
“We are so lucky to live in the community we do,” said Mrs. Whittaker. “Our community never fails to come out and support our kids and show us love. This event isn’t just for LMS families, and that showed in the number of Fairyland families who not only came out to support but also donated Carnival Kitchen items and spread the word. We couldn’t do it without our LMS family - our administration, teachers, volunteers - and our Public Works Crew.”
“It’s truly a community event,” agreed Mrs. Koehl. This year’s Carnival saw enthusiastic participation from grandparents and community members, many of whom staffed booths, painted faces, and served food - a reflection of the “it takes a village” spirit that defines Lookout Mountain.
As the afternoon wore on, hungry and silly-string covered kids enjoyed grab-and-go meals onsite before heading home, thanks to generous donations from Chick-fil-A, Mr. T’s pizza, the Munchery, and Clumpies. It was clear to all involved that this year’s Carnival was another record-breaking success for the school.
The LMS administration and Carnival organizers are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make the event come to life - from the volunteers and families who attended, to the numerous local businesses that donated food and activities, to the Lookout Mountain town workers who ensured the field was ready for hundreds of students and family members to enjoy. The memorable collaboration once again proved that when it comes to supporting our local schools, the Lookout Mountain community shows up - with joy and gratitude.
by Kirsten Yates
The excitement started well before Carnival Day, with weeks of friendly class contests to collect donations for the Carnival booths. Students rallied in close competition, bringing in an incredible 1,156 stuffed animals and 861 jamboree jars - nearly breaking school records. Mr. Van Dillion’s third grade class topped the “Stuffies” leaderboard with 139 donations, while Ms. Jenah Cooper’s second grade class swept two categories, winning Jamboree Jars with 118 jars and the Costume Contest with 82 items contributed.
When the big day finally arrived, the celebration began with the much-anticipated Carnival Parade. Students lined up to march alongside parents and teachers at the end of the school day, officially opening the festivities at the Commons. This year’s Carnival King and Queen, first grader Clay Smisson and kindergartner Zahra Monroe, led the charge - a coveted honor bestowed upon the top sellers of Hamilton County Schools Coupon Books. Behind them marched the fifth grade class, proudly enjoying their final Carnival as LMS students.
In a new tradition, the fifth-graders were followed by the brand-new LMS Cheer Squad, a group of 32 second- through fifth-graders who energized the crowd with coordinated cheers and bright smiles as they made their Carnival debut.
Nearly all students and many of the teachers and parents proudly wore this year’s 2025 LMS Carnival T-shirt, which featured an LMS lion waving a bold red pennant with the word “CARNIVAL” beneath the headline “LOOKOUT!” Designed by talented LMS mom Addie Cramer, the T-shirts quickly became a favorite and were purchased by an impressive 97 percent of LMS families.
Once at the Commons, the crowd fanned out to enjoy all the traditional favorites: face painting, colorful hair sprays, bounce houses, and the ever-popular silly string booth. Shoppers flocked to the Costume Corner, Stuffie Tent, and Jamboree Jar tables to hunt for treasures.
The Carnival Kitchen remained a highlight for adults, offering homemade entrees, soups, and baked goods contributed by LMS families and community members. This year, LMS mom Sarah Ellis took over leadership of the Carnival Kitchen from veteran volunteer Lynn Brown, working hard to ensure its ongoing success.
“I’m so grateful for all those who supported Carnival Kitchen this year,” shared Mrs. Ellis. “We had so many friends and grandparents donate this year in addition to parents, all of whom are a huge part of this sweet tradition.”
By the end of the event, all 78 donated casseroles and 126 donated sides and breads had sold - raising more than $5,000 for the school.
This year’s Carnival chairs were LMS moms Lindsey Whittaker, Melissa Koehl, and Laura Cleary, who worked tirelessly alongside assistant chairs Sarah Stevens, Lyndsey Boeselager, and Erin Hart to coordinate dozens of volunteers and donations.
“We are so lucky to live in the community we do,” said Mrs. Whittaker. “Our community never fails to come out and support our kids and show us love. This event isn’t just for LMS families, and that showed in the number of Fairyland families who not only came out to support but also donated Carnival Kitchen items and spread the word. We couldn’t do it without our LMS family - our administration, teachers, volunteers - and our Public Works Crew.”
“It’s truly a community event,” agreed Mrs. Koehl. This year’s Carnival saw enthusiastic participation from grandparents and community members, many of whom staffed booths, painted faces, and served food - a reflection of the “it takes a village” spirit that defines Lookout Mountain.
As the afternoon wore on, hungry and silly-string covered kids enjoyed grab-and-go meals onsite before heading home, thanks to generous donations from Chick-fil-A, Mr. T’s pizza, the Munchery, and Clumpies. It was clear to all involved that this year’s Carnival was another record-breaking success for the school.
The LMS administration and Carnival organizers are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make the event come to life - from the volunteers and families who attended, to the numerous local businesses that donated food and activities, to the Lookout Mountain town workers who ensured the field was ready for hundreds of students and family members to enjoy. The memorable collaboration once again proved that when it comes to supporting our local schools, the Lookout Mountain community shows up - with joy and gratitude.
by Kirsten Yates
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