Run Like the Wind

Today was J's Awards Day celebration. I love this day. Not just for him, but for my own fourth grade class as well. Remember "Charles" from Kindness and Thankfulness? Well, he earned the Academic Spirit Award. It goes to the student who made the most gains for the year. Of course I took his picture just like a proud teacher!

J also was called a few times :) He was on the Principal's Honor Roll (all As for the year) and won the Social Studies (South Carolina History) Award for his class. Being a history nerd myself, I was very excited and proud of my future historian!

But J was most impressed with his other award. He's shown here with our administrative secretary, Mrs. Sides, who handed out the awards and certificates. In his hand is the one for most laps run for our elementary school's track team. Our principal called him up as he ran farther than any third, fourth, or fifth grader. (Remember he is in third grade!)


For the past few months, over two hundred students convened on our school's track twice a week and ran "cross country" for twenty to twenty-five minutes. Every time they completed a lap, they received a rubber band around their wrist to keep track of the number they ran. Some would sprint a few minutes and then pant a few, then sprint, then pant. Others were obviously doing it because their mom wanted them to. Some little girls used the time to leisurely jog or walk with their friends and chat about Justin Beiber - or whatever elementary girls talk about!

Others, like J, took it VERY seriously. He wanted me to volunteer at his station. At every lap, he would jog/run up to me for his water bottle, take a little sip, grab a rubber band and take off again. His legs are so long and his stride was perfect. Not being athletic at all, except for tennis, I honestly don't know where he gets it. Even when he complained of the heat, he wouldn't stop. He kept his pace and ran an average of ten laps (two miles) every day. Oh how I wish I had that stamina - or even desire to run like that!

At every five mile increment, the PE coach gave the students a rubber band with the mile printed on it. Five Mile... mosts kids got this one. Ten Mile... A few more got this one. Fifteen Mile... Most of the fifth grade athletes got this one. And the one he is most proud of, Twenty Mile!


So proud as only three students in the whole school made it to twenty!



And yes, he wants me to start running with him. Ugh...