Cashing in for Presidents Day

Danette Goulet

COSTA MESA -- Over the tires, around the hay and to the jump ropes

they went.

It was team Woodrow Wilson’s turn on the obstacle course.

Students at St. Joachim’s School in Costa Mesa on Friday spent the day

competing in a triathlon to raise money for the school.

But instead of swimming, biking and running, the three events at St.

Joachim’s were a hoop shoot, an obstacle course and a completely

fictional event in which students knocked over bottles, tossed a soft

ball threw a hoop and ran around cones.

“I got the first score for that -- 18 seconds,” said 11-year-old Tyler Brady, who explained that seconds were taken off depending on how many

bottles are knocked over.

Brady and his classmates represented James Garfield.

“Garfield was the 28th president,” said Laura Locke, 12, Brady’s

sixth-grade classmate. “He was left-handed. He was only president for six

month and died by a gun.”

In honor of Presidents Day, each class represented a different U.S.

leader in the triathlon, whom they had to learn all about.

“Our president is Woodrow Wilson,” said Jane Linnert, 7. “He was the

25th president. He had three daughters. He was married twice. He was a

teacher and that’s all I know.

“Wait -- he was born on Dec. 28,” she added. “I don’t know what year.”

In order for the event to raise money, students were expected to go

out and get sponsors before competing in the triathlon.

While most students skimped on that portion and just had their parents

write a check, one girl went above and beyond, said Robyn Hamilton, the

event chair.

Eighth-grader Maude Moorhart raised more than $1,200 by herself, which

helped the event make more than ever before.

“We normally make $12,000,” Hamilton said. “We’ve never been able to

get off that mark. But this year we made a lot more.”

Parents estimate that the event this year brought in more than

$15,000.

Those funds will go to Krause Learning Center, which is the school’s

library computer house, said Linda Word, the school’s Parent Teachers

Organization president.

If the learning and the triathlon events weren’t enough enjoyment for

students, this year they could also earn or buy raffle tickets for tons

of prizes ranging from golf clubs to stuffed animals.