How a Pie in the Face Brings the Great Hearts Harveston Community Together

The second annual Fall Festival at Great Hearts Harveston, a K-8 academy in Baton Rouge, Lousiana, transformed the school campus into a hub for fall games and autumn activities. The evening event served as a key fundraiser for the Parent Service Organization (PSO), who also organized the festival, raising over $9,000 this year.

These funds directly support the PSO‘s efforts to enhance the academic experience for both teachers and students, including activities such as providing teachers with a monthly lunch, coffee trucks on campus once per semester, and frequent gestures of appreciation that remind our educators how deeply they are valued.

PSO President Ella Digby thanked community sponsors and the huge turnout for the event’s success. “The evening was a chance to bring together families, take a break from the hustle and bustle, and to create a joyous atmosphere within our school community,” she said.

The festival itself was packed with activities that kept families entertained and engaged. From a firetruck tour and mobile library book bus, to bounce houses and face painting, there was something for everyone. But the pinnacle of the night was the “pie-in-the-face” event where students had the opportunity to literally throw a cream pie in the face of the Head of School, Sam Heisman. “Needless to say,” noted Digby, “this was a hit with the scholars.”

Heisman jokingly admitted, “My first reaction was that this better be a hundred bucks a ticket. My next reaction, after having cleared two scoops of cream from my eyes, was that there were hundreds of smiles in the gym.” His comment captured the true spirit of the night. A chance to leave behind daily routines and simply enjoy one another’s company. “I was happy to play a part,” he added, “even if it meant that everything would smell like whipped cream for the rest of the weekend.”

At Great Hearts academies, the PSOs serve as the lifeblood of our community, bringing together families, teachers, and students through supportive initiatives and events that extend beyond the school day. These dedicated groups of parents offer both resources and time to ensure that our schools thrive and grow closer. Their efforts shine brightest in the memorable events they organize, like the recent Fall Festival at Great Hearts Harveston, bringing our community together in celebration.

As Mr. Heisman remarked, “Community starts when people have good experiences together.” Through events like these, PSOs continue to strengthen the fabric of Great Hearts academies, making them places where students can grow in mind and heart, academically and personally in a supportive community. Contact your school to find out how you can get involved with your local academy’s PSO.

If you have a story you’d like to see featured by Great Hearts, please contact Jason Moore at jason.moore@greathearts.org.