The end of the school year is an especially fun time for students at Ballard Elementary School.

For the past 10 years, the Ballard Parent Teacher Organization has been throwing a carnival-type party for the students complete with bounce houses, cotton candy, popsicles, games and even a magician.

“When the buses pull in to the school and the kids see the bounce houses, they get really excited,” said Darla Schneider, PTO president. “It is great to see so many smiles on their faces.”

Fifth-graders Isabella Stein and Cassandra Shortman said it is something they look forward to all year long.

“You get a lot of recess time,” said Stein.

“I love the bounce houses,” Shortman said.

The annual event has become so popular that other schools in the Niles Community Schools district have been mimicking the celebration. Oak Manor Sixth Grade Center had a similar end-of-the-year carnival Monday.

“It’s just a great way to end the school year,” Schneider said.

Ballard’s last-day celebration is funded primarily through the Ballard PTO’s annual fall fundraiser.

On the evening before the party, parents volunteer their time to get things ready, including making 900 hundred bags of cotton candy for the school’s 700-plus students, teachers and volunteers.

It took about 20 parents and teachers to run the show on Tuesday.

Students rotate to several different stations throughout the day, including the carnival area, movie area, iced-treat area and magic/comedy show area.

Teachers get the final hour of the day to say goodbye to their students.

Schneider said in 10 years, they’ve never been rained out.

“We’ve been lucky,” she said.