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 .