Why did the chicken cross the road? To raise money for the DeKalb Education Foundation.

The DeKalb Education Foundation is a non-profit organization which helps the schools of DeKalb District 428 with additional funding the school’s budget cannot cover.

One way to raise money for the school district is the annual DEF Comedy Night.

The event was held in the Duke Ellington Ballroom in the Holmes Student Center Saturday night.

The night consisted of silent and live auctions, different performances by students of District 428 and concluded with Chicago comedian Dobie Maxwell.

Each school brought several items for the silent auction. Items ranged from a basket full of tools to one filled with DVDs.

“DEF has been around for 25 years, and we’ve had comedy night for about 15 years,” said DEF Treasurer Christine Kyler.

DEF Vice President Matt Kunz said the organization helps the school by providing the extra finances to go beyond the restrictions of a normal school budget.

“The normal school budget is built for the standard textbooks,” Kunz said. “DEF is able to buy the advanced textbooks for students that need them.”

Kunz said the DEF’s annual budget is about $40,000.

Larisa Willrett, who has students in both Malta Elementary School and Clinton Rosette Middle School, said DEF is an important organization for the schools.

“School districts need to be supported by organizations like this,” Willrett said. “It’s not possible for the district to provide all the students’ needs without DEF.”