Olympics, Newport style
Deirdre Newman
Newport Heights Elementary School students got an Olympic-style
workout Friday morning, when they ran to raise money for their school.
The Newport Heights Olympics featured a parade of nations and a
torchbearer, in addition to the annual jog-a-thon.
This is the third year the PTA has organized the event, and it took
place on the opening day of the international Olympics, an overlap that
happened unwittingly.
“That was really inspiring because we had [planned] this day long ago
and it really meant a lot to have it on the same day as the Olympics,”
said Julie Deyan, co-chair of the event.
Deyan said the event usually pulls in more than $20,000, which will go
toward things such as field trips, art, science and classroom support.
Students in each class have been learning about a particular country
for the past few weeks. At the start of the Olympic event, they dressed
in the attire of their assigned country’s culture and carried its flag.
Students have also been collecting pledges for the jog-a-thon and
eagerly took to the field after the parade to start running the laps that
would allow them to collect their bounties. A disc jockey spinning tunes
provided a groovy soundtrack and inspired some students to run even
faster.
Second-grader Rachel Unrein’s freckled face was covered with sweat
after she ran 22 laps. Each lap was about a tenth of a mile.
“It’s fun because we get to run and hear music,” Rachel said.
Hannah Weiner and her fifth-grade friend Megan McAuley took a
strategic approach to the run, walking at first to warm up.
“My mom said to start out slow,” Hannah said. “We want to save up
energy for later.”
Hannah said she learned “that you have to try your hardest and not
give up” by participating in the event.
“And if you fall down, get up,” Megan added.
Some of the parents joined in the workout.
Frank Medina, whose son carried the real Olympic torch through
Pasadena, ran a few laps to support his daughter, Courtney.
Teacher Christine Duross said the school’s staging of its own Olympics
instills a sense of community in the students.
“It’s a sense of the national and an opportunity to be a part of
something bigger than yourself,” Duross said.
* Deirdre Newman covers education. She may be reached at (949)
574-4221 or by e-mail at o7 deirdre.newman@latimes.comf7 .
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