NATCHEZ — Mechanical bulls, dunking booths and inflatable water slides aren’t normal parts of the educational process, but Saturday at the Adams County Christian School Spring Fling the fun games were all about academics.

Saturday’s full day of fun was the school’s second annual spring fundraiser and organizer Jim Bob Allgood said this year’s event was twice as big as last year’s.

“Last year it was cold and wet and rainy, but this year God blessed us with great weather and the crowds have really come out,” he said.

The event is organized by the ACCS PTL, and this year PTL president Melanie Sojourner said the board wanted to do everything possible to raise money for the school.

“We didn’t want to limit ourselves in what we could do,” she said. “We wanted to go big and clearly God has blessed us with good weather and good crowds of people.

“The goal of the day was to give families a place where they could have good, clean fun and at the same time raise money for this school.”

Sojourner said as much work as she and the PTL board put into organizing the event, it was the parents that donated items and volunteered time that really pulled the event together.

“People have been so willing to go the extra mile to make this a great event for our school,” she said.

All of the money raised during the day will be used to enhance the academic programs at the school. While the PTL didn’t have a firm goal for the day, Sojourner said the PTL does have a few projects they are hoping to fund with the money raised.

“We are really working hard to get computers in every classroom at the school and make sure our textbooks are up-to-date,” she said. “We’d like to get more smartboards in our classrooms, too.

“We just want to ensure our children continue to get a quality education in a Christian environment.”

Early in the day the favorite attractions were the mechanical bull rides and the dunking booth.

Emily Laird, a 13-year-old seventh-grader at ACCS, was in line for her fifth try to conquer the mechanical bull. She said each time she tries she gets a little better.

“It’s awesome,” she said. “I stayed on 5.24 seconds last time. I think I’ll get all 8 seconds this time.”

For her fifth ride, Laird brought along her friend Brooke Allen, 13, to try as well. Allen wasn’t sure about the experience yet, but was eager to try it.

“She says its fun so I thought I’d try it too,” she said.

Laird said Allen needed a little arm twisting, though.

“I’m making her do it,” she said.

Allgood said the carnival-style games were a hit in the morning, but expected the redneck olympics to draw big crowds, as well.

“We have toilet races, bobbing for pigs feet, cow patty toss and other things,” he said. “People are really interested in seeing just what it is.”

The day concluded with a live and silent auction, dinner and a womanless beauty pageant.

“There was fun for little kids all the way up to the elderly,” Allgood said.