Students from School District 51 area schools got some exercise and had some fun at the District Track Meet at Perley Elementary School in Grand Forks last Friday.
Students from Grades 4 to 7, from Big White Community School all the way to Christina Lake, descended on the Grand Forks elementary school to take part in track-and-field events.
“We had 45 teams from all over the district,” said Sharon McConnell, Perley staff member and one of the event organizers. “They (the schools) practice for a month for the big day and we got all the teams ready … 2000 was the first year that we started the track meet and we’ve been doing it for 13 years, although we didn’t do it last year because of the teachers’ strike.”
While there are students from schools across the district, Perley Grade 3/4 teacher and another event organizer Yvonne Konar said competition isn’t the focus – the event is all about fun.
“On every single team, there are students from every school, or at least three or four schools. We try to do it so there are two students from every school so they at least have one partner within their team,” explained Konar. “They’re only competing against – if we want to call it competing – their individual team of eight students.”
There was a concession operating and while there was junk food in the past, that has changed thanks to a focus on a healthy school initiative, according to McConnell.
“We had some granola bars and fruit leather and the nachos were on the healthy side,” she said. “There was watermelon and we kind of mix it up a little bit. I mean the kids just love coming to the concession.”
The event goes rain, shine or sleet said Konar and McConnell and while the weather did eventually co-operate, things weren’t looking too promising in the days leading up.
“Wednesday, when it was raining, it was like, ‘Oh my goodness!’” McConnell said. “It was nice to see that blue sky (Friday) morning and weather-wise it was perfect. It wasn’t too hot; it was a really good day.”
“I know many of us (Friday) came with rubber boots, winter clothes – I actually brought a toque with me – full rain gear just in case,” Konar explained. “But Mother Nature absolutely agreed.”