Middlebury Elementary School Hosts 2nd Annual Coast-to-Coast Marathon

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   The morning starts a little earlier for those Middlebury Elementary School students who are participating in their second marathon to California. An annual event, Middlebury Elementary School has again teamed with Brookside Elementary School in San Anselmo, California for their coast-to-coast marathon.

   The ten-week marathon started March 3rd and will run until May 13th. Students are walking, running, or jogging in the gym or, weather permitting, outside before school, and during recess as they head west toward California. This fitness program, brought to Middlebury Elementary School last year by PTO member Krista Matthews, is designed to emphasize the importance of daily exercise.

   "On March 3rd, 111 students arrived at 8:00 a.m. to run 135 miles. It would have taken 3 1/2 hours to drive that same distance to Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. On our second day, we had 133 students run an additional 185 miles," said Mrs. Matthews. "We are well on our way to Brookside Elementary School, our west coast partner in this marathon. Likewise, Brookside is also making great time as they head eastward toward MES."

   "We are once again hoping for 100 percent participation from our MES students," added Mrs. Matthews, "and considering the fact that by day two of the event, we already have almost one-third of our student population joining in on the fun, we are certainly thrilled by the turnout."

   Not only will the coast-to-coast marathon focus on fitness, but also on geography, writing, and math. As the students walk toward California, Region 15 parents are asking family and friends from around the United States to send postcards to the students, encouraging the children and pointing out interesting information about that part of the country. 

   “The marathon is not a race, it is a fun healthy way to get our daily exercise while building friendships and attaining personal goals. Each child's progress will be applied toward the trek across the country. We continually stress that this event is not a race, it is about fitness, persistence and achieving goals.”

   The second, third, and fourth grade classes are establishing a pen-pal writing program with the students from California, so the students can learn how similar they are to each other, as well as how different life can be on the nation’s two coasts.

   Additionally, the students are using math skills to keep track of mileage. Each child's progress will be charted and added to the total number of miles needed to reach California.  The children have a whole new respect for mileage; they understand how far each mile really is.  Many of the students have set their personal goal at 26.2 miles, which is the distance of the New York City and Boston Marathons.  Last spring, over 150 MES students reached that distance and beyond.

   “We will keep the schools’ website up-to-date so that anyone can check the progress of the students at either school,” said Jack Zamary, principal at Middlebury Elementary School. “I am so proud of our students, parents, and PTO members for getting involved in an activity that combines wellness, community, and education.”

   Parents of students grades Kindergarten-2 are required to be on site, however many parents of older Middlebury Elementary School students are walking with their children to get their 30-minutes of exercise also.

   “Last year, the marathon was a tremendous success due to the overwhelming parental and community support,” said Mark Stockno, Middlebury Elementary School physical education teacher. “With this school-wide program, the students are learning geography, mathematics, and the benefits of exercise. Our school district is promoting life-long health and wellness and this activity fits right in with this goal.”