Chautauqua Lake fourth graders celebrate fall with Ripley students

By Sara Holthouse October 15, 2026 3 min read

Students are pictured in the pumpkin patch, harvesting pumpkins they planted in the spring. Submitted photo

Fourth grade students are pictured playing the large, outdoor basketball Connect Four game. Submitted photo

Another activity for the fourth graders on that day was making apple cider with a press. Submitted photo

Fourth grade students participate in the annual Fall Fest activities, including grape picking. Submitted photo

The annual Fall Fest event allows Chautauqua Lake and Ripley students to get to know each other before becoming classmates in the seventh grade. Submitted photo

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MAYVILLE -- For the third year, Chautauqua Lake Central School fourth graders were given the opportunity to take part in a day of seasonal fall fun and activities with a visit to Ripley Central School.

The fall festival brings students from the two schools together for hands-on activities, friendly competition and a celebration of the fall harvest. This annual event is part of an ongoing collaboration between the two schools, designed to give students the opportunity to get to know each other and make friends before becoming classmates in the seventh grade.

“This annual event has become a great experience not only because of the rich hands-on learning opportunities, but because of the meaningful relationships it helps build between our Chautauqua Lake and Ripley students," said Megan Lundgren, Chautauqua Lake elementary principal.

The day's events allowed students to rotate through stations such as grape stomping, apple cider making with a traditional cider press, and yard games such as Kan Jam and a giant basketball Connect Four. Students were also given the opportunity to do activities with technology, specifically robot challenges, giving them the ability to play, explore and work together.

One of the day's biggest highlights was the trip to the pumpkin field where every student picked a pumpkin to take home; noted to have been especially meaningful for students as they had planted the seeds there last spring as third graders together during a visit.

"Experiences like Fall Fest give our students a chance to learn together in ways that go beyond the classroom," said Holly Snyder, a fourth-grade teacher at Chautauqua Lake. "Returning to pick pumpkins they planted as third graders made this year especially meaningful. It's wonderful to see them working together, making friends, and building connections with students who will one day be their classmates."

After watching the pumpkins grow throughout the summer, the students were able to return as fourth graders to harvest what they had planted.

The annual Fall Fest collaboration event continues to grow each year, providing students opportunities to build friendships and share experiences before they reach seventh grade. Chautauqua Lake officials thanked Ripley Central School, volunteers, and the Knight family for making the collaboration possible.

"Our annual fourth-grade Fall Fest is a great example of what can happen when our school communities come together to create a fun and memorable day for our students," said Josh Liddell, Chautauqua Lake superintendent. "Our Chautauqua Lake students were able to reconnect with their friends from Ripley and enjoy the excitement of harvesting pumpkins they had planted together as third graders. It was a wonderful way to see how something as simple as planting a seed can grow into a lasting memory. We are very thankful to Ripley Central School and the Knight family for being such wonderful partners and for helping make days like this possible."

Chautauqua Lake fourth graders celebrate fall with Ripley students