By Samantha SLAYBACK

On Friday, devoted PTA parents spent the day transforming Valley View Elementary School’s cafeteria into an extraterrestrial bash for its fourth annual Mother/Son Evening.

The Star Wars-themed event was filled with crafts, cuisine and competition. Moms dressed as Princess Leia and other characters accompanied their little Darth Vaders and Stormtroopers for a healthy dinner consisting of chicken, rice and vegetables catered by Yaki’s Teriyaki Bowl. The space travelers were then treated to numerous celestial sweets including Wookie Cookies, Sandtrooper Sandies, and what PTA President Myra Goethals likes to refer to as “Death Star Cake Pops” all baked and donated by volunteer mothers.

While the mothers of the Valley View students work diligently to make memorable experiences for the children all year round, the fathers should not be forgotten. One volunteer dad, Boz Crowther, showed his enthusiasm by dressing up as Darth Vader.

“The moms all work really hard on the [annual] daddy/daughter dance, so I figured it was the least I could do,” Crowther said.

As the guests were busy dining amongst the stars, PTA parents made an effort to preserve the planet by using eco-friendly table settings made from corn, wheat and recycled paper. In order to educate the children on the importance of keeping Earth clean, parents included the lesson in the fun-filled, galactic evening.

“With Earth Day coming up we thought it would be fitting,” explained Event Chair Shelby Thamasian. To ensure the continuation of “green” behavior throughout the night, three trashcans were placed near the doors of the cafeteria with the labels “compostm” “recycle” and “landfill.”

After their hearty and environmentally friendly meal, sons and their mothers were invited outside for light saber battles, a glow-in-the-dark ring toss and a challenging obstacle course. While the boys were busy outside enjoying all of the coordinated games, the mothers went back to work inside preparing the dance floor for a dance and “Dress up Mom” competition. By the end of the evening, four moms were dressed in tin foil and other absurd accessories as a result of the intense competition. While mother Lisa Langley ultimately won the competition, fun was had by all.

Following the previous year’s Renaissance-themed evening, this year’s space adventure was a hit. Drawing in approximately 75 boys, Friday’s event topped all three before it, which averaged at only about 50 participants.

  Samantha SLAYBACK