Hazel Avenue Elementary School took recess to an entirely different level Saturday afternoon as hundreds gathered on the school's grounds for a carnival.

"We attended the carnival last year and it was a lot of fun," said Lisa Duke-Lees, who has a first grader at Hazel. "He loves the carnival ... he's bouncing somewhere on the obstacle course."

Mary Davis, the carnival's coordinator, said the "welcome back school event" that is now in its tenth year, is for the community to raise money for the school's Parent-Teacher Association.

"We have the mayor here, the council members in the dunk tank ... it's a great turn out," she said about the noon to 4 p.m. event.

Edwin Acevedo, Hazel Elementary School's principal, said the carnival helps bring people out to support the community.

"I think it's wonderful and absolutely great that everyone's coming out to support the PTA and our school," he said.

Davis said the carnivals' booths are staffed by West Orange High School students and other elementary school teachers.

Cameron Black, 15, of West Orange, worked one of the festival's game booths as part of her West Orange High School club.

"I like helping people and we're going to elementary schools to help out at carnivals," she said about the Unity and Key Club, a for-credit club that supports other schools in the community.

Davis said all the money raised from games, rides and food goes to the students to help pay for after-school activities and functions.

"Everything goes directly to the kids and it's a giveback to the community," she said.