Kids Play Sleuth During CSI Westfield Event

Most of downtown was a crime scene Saturday morning while detectives searched for clues in order to determine who stole all of the chalk from the public schools. At the end of the day, detectives determined Mayor Andy Skibitsky stole the chalk.

Do not get alarmed. The chalk is safely in the public schools and the mayor is not a chalk thief. The chalk mystery was part of "CSI Westfield," a child-friendly fundraiser held Saturday for the Education Fund of Westfield.

Education Fund officials explained that the group was looking to sponsor a fundraiser involving the students of Westfield, instead of the traditional adult-friendly fundraisers held by the group. Building off the popular CSI television franchise, children were invited to compete in a whodunit game Saturday.

"This is a brand new event, sending the kids out to find 10 locations around town," Education Fund President Lisa Black said.

Children received a packet of clues on the lawn of the Presbyterian Church and then roamed around downtown looking to identify sites on the pictures in their packet. Each site had a volunteer handing out clues to the identity of the thief of the school chalk. Students handed in their final answers at the end of the competition and the student who finished with the fastest time won a prize package which included a game from Thinka Dinka, chocolate from Bremmers and gift certificates from Game Stop, the Rialto, Cold Stone Creamery, the Town Book Store and the Windmill.

Andrew Eliades and Alexies Hammer shared the honor of solving the mystery. They will split the $150 prize package. Eliades and Hammer are not the only winners for the event. Black said Tamaques Elementary School will receive a pretzel party in the coming days for having the most students attend the event.

The Education Fund sponsors a variety of grant programs to support the school district. Black said past grants have gone to purchase technology equipment for teachers, provide various classroom enhancements, support teacher professional development and to fund visiting poets in the schools.