Fifth graders participate in annual ECASD Field Day

EAU CLAIRE — Fifth graders from all 14 of the Eau Claire Area School District’s elementary schools were getting pumped up at the annual Field Day.

“The Fifth Grade Field Day is just all the fifth graders in the Eau Claire school district coming together to participate in some events, have fun, enjoy the day hanging out with your friends and meet potentially some new friends they will go to middle school with next year,” said Bart Steffen, physical education teacher at Chippewa Valley Montessori Charter School.

Students and their family members, from a number of schools including the charter school and virtual school, gathered at the Ulrich Track and Fields at Memorial High School.

As this is an annual tradition, Steffen said the fifth grade Field day has been around for nearly 70 years or more. As the end of the school year approaches for the fifth graders in June, this event dedicates a day towards friendly competition and outdoor physical activities.

When asked what the purpose of this event was, he said, “The biggest thing is to have some fun. These kids are getting ready to go off to middle school and be with their classmates, some of them they have been with for the last six years of elementary school.”

With the event being as much of a social event as a physical education event, many of the families stuck around for some of the events to cheer on their kids.

A total of 13 various events where students were encouraged to participate included hurdles, running, tennis ball bouncing, soccer ball kicking and more. Furthermore, students also competed as a school team in the district-wide tug of war competition.

Although most of the events do not focus on the competition, the tug of war contest does give an opportunity for fifth graders to give it their all in an elimination contest with all schools represented. At the end of the day, the Flynn Elementary Flyers and the Putnam Heights Panthers competed for the title, with Flynn coming out on top.

But Field Day is not focused around one event; rather, there is something for everyone to participate in. For Sabrina McKnight, a fifth grader at Longfellow Elementary School, the most anticipated event is the crossover jump rope.

Another fifth-grade student, Callaway Olson from Locust Lane Elementary, said he was looking forward to the relay race.

“We’ve got friends on the other side of the track that we are looking forward to playing against,” said Olson. “Obviously we want to win too, but it is all about having a good time.”

He continued, and said they were all super excited to be at the Field Day.

“It’s just a culmination for the kids of their whole elementary career,” said Diana Lesneski, principal at Putnam Heights. “They look forward to being with their classmates and their teachers, and competing and getting to see some of their friends from other schools.”

She continued, and said, “I think a lot of students consider it their most memorable moment. What I really like is that students who were initially nervous about it find out there’s zero pressure to compete in any of the open events. You can come up, watch, try it and try it again, and I think they really see the enjoyment of getting out there… Even though kids were originally nervous, I think by the end of the day they realize how much fun they really had.”

After events wrapped up around noon, the students headed to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus with more opportunities for outdoor physical education activities.