Walk-A-Thon at Hinckley-Big Rock Elementary School
Like so many things this year, the annual HBRES Walk-A-Thon had to look slightly different. For those who are new to the elementary school, the W-A-T typically happens on a half day of school. Prior to that day, students ask friends and families to sponsor them through the miles they will complete and that money raised goes directly toward the HBRES teachers’ wishlists. Students, dressed in their class color, then spend two hours that morning running and walking as many laps as they can around the “track” created at the school. After the W-A-T, a school-wide assembly is held to award the student with the most miles, the student who raised the most money, and to raffle off a TONS of fun prizes! HBRES has been so fortunate to have incredible community support for this event each year!
There are so many reasons why our students and staff love the W-A-T. Some students love the competitive nature as they try for their “personal best” year to year, or attempt to run the entire time, or win the award for most laps completed. Others love having the opportunity to spend two full hours outside together with their peers, chatting and laughing as they walk their laps. The kids are able to hang with friends and family from other grades and it’s always fun to see so many older students walking with their younger siblings! There’s an undeniable feeling of community as volunteer parents hand out snacks and drinks and cheer on the students as they go by. And lastly, students feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when they see the new items their teachers purchase for the classrooms with the W-A-T funds, knowing they played a major part in making that happen.
This year, it felt extra important to keep the tradition of the W-A-T alive, even if it took some “outside of the box” thinking to do so! HBRES students and their families participated in the
2020 “Royal Remote Walk-A-Thon: Going the Distance...From a Distance” over the long weekend. Students were able to decorate their very own unique Walk-A-Thon bib, and families were asked to log the miles they walked, ran, biked, or even skated and scootered! While the weather was not the most cooperative with some of the lowest temperatures yet, families still got outside to enjoy the fresh air and time together.
Enjoy scrolling through pictures sent in by families, learning what some of the kids liked about this year’s W-A-T, and finally seeing what the school-wide total was for this year! (The quotes do not necessarily match the pictures).
What do you like about W-A-T?
“I love my new scooter!”
“No homework”
“Getting outside”
“Running down the hill at our grandparents!”
“Exploring a new bike path”
“Choosing where to talk and choosing between running, walking, and skipping”
“Getting exercise and enjoying the weather with my family”
“Stopping at the park and seeing friends along the way”
“Being outside together on bikes”
So how many miles did our families go this year? The answer is… (drumroll)... 615! They went 398 miles on foot, 191 miles on bike or scooter, and 26 miles in some other way. Way to go HBRES students and families! We’ll see you again next year - hopefully together as a whole school at HBRES!