By Kristen Jennings
BYU married students had a good time with their families at this year”s Family Honor Fair Saturday, July 17, at Wymount Terrace.
“Over 1,000 people attended the fair,” said Candace Simmons, a Student Honor Association member in charge of the fair. “We had a really good turnout and it seemed like all the families enjoyed themselves.”
The Student Honor Association has held the Family Honor Fair for five years in a row and is one of the association”s favorite events.
The Family Honor Fair had the usual carnival games and activities but was not like the typical fair. The different games, including a dunk tank, ring toss, face painting, and a “daddy diaper toss” (to name a few) were all centered around themes that families would benefit from if they were applied. Politeness, respect, and clean language were some of the themes taught at the activities.
As soon as families entered the fair, they had the opportunity to write down family goals. Then, a family picture was taken to be placed on top of their family goals. Some goals listed by families were choosing the right, living the gospel and being examples.
Sandra Steele and her husband, a full-time student, came to the fair with their three children, ages three to six.
“I liked the themes at the fair,” Steele said. “The game that my kids and I both liked that had a good moral was the ring toss.”
“Before a child could toss a ring, they were asked a question like, ”What could you do to honor your parents?” or ”What could you do to help around the house?”” she said. “I thought the game had a good meaning to it and it was fun for the kids at the same time.”
Biao Cheng, a BYU student from China working on his doctorate in educational leadership, was impressed with the high family values the fair incorporated into the activities.
“I have been impressed with the emphasis BYU places on high family values and the theme of the fair went right along with everything I have seen at BYU,” Cheng said. “The fair made my family think very carefully about what kind of family we should be.”
Not only was the fair a learning experience for most families, it was a time for other married BYU students and their families to meet each other.
“Being a full-time student, I am not able to get out much, and this was an excellent opportunity to meet new friends and the people that we live around,” Cheng said. “My family and I stayed the whole time and loved talking and meeting new people.”
Steele”s family also enjoyed the fair.
“My six-year-old daughter would not leave the petting zoo,” Steele said. “She would go over there any chance she could get.”
