Posing for pictures with Princess Fiona and Shrek, chatting up wizards and watching a man manipulate fire and strut around on stilts.

It sounds like a fairytale, which is exactly the type of atmosphere the Fountain Hills High School chapter of Future Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) wanted to provide for dozens of Valley foster children at their recent event, “Night of Knights.”

Each year, the local FCCLA group hosts a year-round project targeting an area of need both locally and internationally.

For the 2013-14 school year, the group decided to return to an area already near and dear to their hearts by launching Falcons 4 Fosters 2, a project geared at raising awareness and providing a little joy for Arizona foster kids.

Working with the Arizona Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents, FCCLA capped off their F4F2 project with a celebration of all things fantasy, hosted out of Fort McDowell Adventures and supported by numerous organizations, businesses and individuals to give foster children and their families a night (of Knights) to remember.

“Like a symphony, everyone did their part to create the masterpiece that was the Night of Knights,” said FCCLA advisor Claire McWilliams.

“Alums came back to lend a hand. Parents helped out. So much fun was had.”

Natalie Burgermeister agreed, saying it was a one-of-a-kind event that had as big an impact on the hosts as the children and families they were entertaining.

“I was very socially involved with the children and I was very into the character I played -- a gypsy fortune teller,” Burgermeister said.

“The children absolutely loved it, and so did I.”

Burgermeister said that she was happy to know that everyone involved came together to make an event that these young children will truly remember.

Similarly, FCCLA member Izzy Edwards said she, too, will never forget the Night of Knights.

“One of our girls, Sterling, told me the best forms of payment are love and freedom,” Edwards said.

“That example of childlike naiveté will stay in my heart forever.”

But even though there were tons of students helping make the event a reality, McWilliams said FCCLA could have never achieved their goals and created this special evening without the help of many supporters.

“We want to thank Fort McDowell Adventures for once again hosting our event at their beautiful venue, and for discounting our costs so we could include as many children as possible,” she said.

“We want to thank Firelight Entertainment for providing an array of delights, including stilt walking, snake charming, fire throwing, balloon animals and much more. They also discounted their services drastically so we could afford to bring them onboard.”

McWilliams said a special thank you also goes to Kris Jacober of AZAFAP, the non-profit that kept the local group in close contact with families taking part in the event.

Also receiving a big “thank you” from FCCLA is the high school Key Club, which donated all of the proceeds from its car wash event to help support the Night of Knights event.

This allowed even more families to attend since the last Falcons 4 Fosters event, tripling the attendance.

Finally, the Men’s Club of Fountain Hills allowed FCCLA to provide culinary and table service at three of their events this year, making a donation to the project each time.

“This project demonstrates how combining forces and seeking community support can expand the reach and effectiveness of a cause, and one of the big bonuses of being a small, close-knit town and district,” McWilliams said.

“We tried to be a blessing and, in turn, we were blessed beyond belief to get to make memories with these precious kids and their foster/adoptive families.”