From funny falls to pet fails, sports gone wrong to pranks, community members from around the Parkland School District submitted their best comedic material for “Parkland’s Funniest Home Videos,” which was broadcast on television and online May 20.

The program was created by the combined work of the Parkland Education Foundation and students from the high school TV studio as a community event to take the place of the annual foundation Gala.

The gala, however, was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency.

In response to a request made by the foundation for the funniest home videos from the community, 125 video submissions were received to form the hour-long comedy compilation.

Hosting “Parkland’s Funniest Home Videos” was Parkland alumnus Joe Sibilia, a graduate of the Class of 2014, who served as the program’s master of ceremonies and recorded segments at his home to introduce the categories, provide voice-over commentary and announce the winners.

“I’m glad you’re here to watch and laugh with each other, it’s better than fighting, isn’t it?” Sibilia joked in his opening. “Put the homework away, grab a snack, kick back and relax, this is going to be fun and painless … maybe not for some of the people in the videos, but more on that later.”

Viewers were treated to seven different categories of comedy clips - pets, odds and ends, pranks, in-school videos, sports, falls and a from quarantine segment.

The clips were submitted by students, teachers, administrators and others in the community.

After all the categories and videos were presented, it was time to name the top three funniest submissions.

Coming in third place was Cetronia Elementary student Hannah Laudermilch, who won a $25 gift card for her video, “Puppy Cow.”

In second place and the winner of a $50 gift card was Orefield Middle School science teacher Amy Kakaley, whose submission was titled “Crazy Kids Cabin Fever.”

Finally, the first-place winner of a $100 gift card was Parkland High School Spanish teacher Lauren Elsenbaumer’s video, “In a Pickle.”

For every video entered for the program the education foundation vowed to give $5 to the food pantries at the high school, Springhouse and Orefield middle schools which have been depleted by efforts to distribute food to families in need.

In total, $620 was raised for the pantries through the submissions.

Additionally, funds raised by “Parkland’s Funniest Home Videos” will also help the education foundation’s “COVID-19 Emergency Fund” to support teachers’ move to online instruction, as well as to provide annual staff grants.

During the program’s opening welcome Lisa Ervin, executive director of the Parkland Education Foundation, said the first program funded through the emergency fund was the distribution of headsets and emergency grants to “as they transitioned to digital learning.”

She also noted that since its inception in 2011, the foundation has provided teachers with $1 million in grants.

Between the program’s comedy segments, short videos were also shown detailing how some of the education foundation’s grant money was being used to enhance students’ learning experiences.

These included providing resources for mobile Makerspaces and STEAM Expos, purchasing high-tech microscopes in science classes, and providing ukuleles for students in Kratzer Elementary’s music classes.

Information on donating to the COVID-19 Emergency Teacher Grant program is available on the education foundation’s website at parklandsd.org/foundation.

In addition to the grant funding, Ervin said the foundation had also purchased graduation lawn signs for seniors to honor and celebrate their achievements.

“We know how hard this year has been for them,” she said. “We wanted to do something to show them how much their community cares and that their accomplishments have not gone unrecognized.”

Ervin thanked “Parkland’s Funniest Home Videos’” sponsors for their continued support of the education foundation, as well as the community members whose submissions made the comedy program possible.

“We all know laughter is the best medicine,” she said, “And, Parkland, you are funny.”

The broadcast of “Parkland’s Funniest Home Videos” can be found online at the Parkland TV and Film YouTube channel.