MARK SMITH / PVT Sam Sarandos was going all out as she worked to make sure the recent Spring Carnival at Hafen Elementary School was all set for the day's visitors. Advertisement

You're never too old to learn the importance of school spirit, as Sam Sarandos, president of Hafen Elementary School's Parent Teacher Organization, discovered after moving to Pahrump from New Jersey in November 2005.

Sarandos was always involved in her children's education, going on field trips and making sure to touch base with her two kids' teachers.

But she admits she never really volunteered for school events while in New Jersey, and as such, is a bit surprised to find herself president of the school district's only incorporated PTO.

"I never saw myself as the kind of person who relates to parents and teachers," Sarandos said.

Sarandos, whose daughter Lia is now a third grader at Hafen Elementary School, was surprised when she came to Pahrump about the lack of means local schools had to incorporate "extras," as she calls field trips or special projects, into their curriculum.

So she went to a Hafen PTO meeting in December 2005 to see what she could do.

There she found five women, led by Lisa Joyce, doing the best they could to improve the school and put on events but grappling with very little means to do so.

"There were people out there and they were trying to do it," Sarandos said. "But it's always been between four or five women."

Putting together fundraisers and field trips for an entire school is a lot of work for just a small group of people, so Sarandos began researching ways to make the PTO a more effective organization.

One way was to incorporate it into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which in addition to adding a sense of being official to the group, also means its able to apply for state educational funding.

"When you're a separate entity, you get to keep the money you raise and see where it goes," Sarandos explained. "It's not just a line item in the school's budget."

But incorporating is easier said than done.

First, the group had to get approval from the Nye County School Board, which it did.

Then it was on to Sarandos doing "hours and hours of research" to learn the ins and outs of meeting the requirements set by the state Department of Taxation.

It also meant establishing paperwork and procedures for various events put on by the PTO to help track money and volunteers.

"It's baby steps, and then you look at what we've done and it's been leaps," Sarandos said.

The PTO began working from the ground up, doing everything from the practical to the fun to help the school when the next year started.

To help foster parent involvement, the PTO sent out a welcome packet to all the parents which included a sheet asking parents to volunteer two hours during the school year for various events.

Any parent who signed the pledge was put on an event volunteer spreadsheet.

"If you have a student at Hafen, then you're already basically part of the PTO," Sarandos said.

In addition, the PTO established a traffic pattern in the parking lot to help ensure kids' safety during arrivals and departures.

When it came to fundraising for field trips and school supplies, the PTO organized everything from bake sales, to the Winter Dance, to the Spring Carnival.

A more tangible result of the PTO's efforts is the school's new marquee, which has helped keep parents informed about school events and achievements.

"It's amazing to me how people came together just for one goal," Sarandos said.

But she's the first to admit she couldn't have done it alone.

Monica Vickers "has completely raised the bar" when it comes to PTO announcements, fliers, and information Sarandos said.

Kelli Kessler and Debbie Doty were a source of encouragement and "kept me going," Sarandos said.

And none of the PTO's events, particularly the recent carnival, would ever have happened if it weren't for volunteers like Kjester Buesig, Brooke Shenberger and Stacy Laffredo.

"I did have the drive but I also had all the people behind me," Sarandos said.

Sarandos is now more involved than she ever has been, and although it hasn't always been easy, she said she's glad she is.

"I can never regret it, it's been the most rewarding thing I've ever done," Sarandos said.

And she certainly has more than her fair share of school spirit.

"It's all about the school spirit to me, even though I never was a cheerleader a day in my life," Sarandos said. "If there's more school spirit, the kids get better grades and they just do better."

It wasn't long before there were more teachers getting involved in the PTO as well.

Still, the Hafen PTO is in need of as many parents, volunteers, and ideas at it can get.

If you have a student at Hafen Elementary and would like to help make the school a better place for your child, you can attend the monthly meeting held the third Wednesday of every month in the school's multipurpose room.