Day of Teamwork, Physical Fun Ends School Year for Island Students
By Sean Ely

Students during the school's end-of-the-year field day tie a human knot, then race to untangle themselves without letting go of each other's hands. From left, counter-clockwise: Maggie Chambers, Christopher Riggs, Sierra Kompsi, Hailey Armstrong, Marie Bunker, Dana Roguska, Michi Mullings, Christian Styburski, and Adrienne Rilenge.

At the end of the academic year, the Lakers of Mackinac Island Public School cut loose for their last physical education class. On field day, Thursday, May 31, students from kindergarten to seventh grade competed in more than a dozen activities and challenges, organized by physical education teacher Mary Patay. The miniature games require hard work, determination, patience, and teamwork, and students from eighth to 11th grade helped out, once they completed their final examinations for the day.

The excitement was enhanced by the beginning of summer recess.

"We're not in school!" was the simultaneous shout from seventh grader Anthony Rickley, sixth grader Louis Clark, and fifth grader Colton Fisher, when asked what they love most about the day.

"Our kids really have earned this," said Superintendent Roger Schrock. "They worked hard during the year, so they definitely deserve this. It's a little treat, and seeing them work together in the team-type fashion with all of the teamwork activities is just wonderful. They have actually been competing with one another as a team. This really bodes well for the future."

Activities included shot put throw, shoe toss, human knot, hula hoop race, three-legged race, wheelbarrow race, water and bucket relay, football throw, golf putt, soccer goal, threepoint shot, lacrosse shot, and survivor challenges.

Certain students couldn't stop talking about how much fun the three-legged race was, even hours after the event had finished.

"It was a lot of fun to do the three-legged race," fourth grader Kyra Kolatski said. "When we did it, my partner and I went really fast and did great. But, for the five-legged race, we all tumbled and fell to the ground."

Fifth grader Adrienne Rilenge and sixth grader Hailey Bean liked being partners in the wheelbarrow race, where one student runs on their hands while their legs are being held by the other student.

Nicholas Davis, a first grader, explained how the water and bucket relay was the most fun, because teams of students had to fill a cup with water with a spoon, running 20 yards across the field to get each spoonful.

Amelia Roe's most enjoyable moment was as the goalie in the soccer shoot-out, stopping shots fired by her friends. She liked taking the shots, too.

The event that was talked about the most was the tarp turn, in which teams stood on a tarp while turning it over on the other side. They had to start over if a teammate stepped off the tarp. It took incredible teamwork, but the younger students caught on quickly.

"The younger kids were actually watching the older kids figure it out, and then they copied exactly what they did," the superintendent said. "There is a learning point there. You could definitely say that our younger kids do watch what the older kids do."

Witnessing the excitement and getting to see the children use their specific talents was a delight for Ms. Patay.

"I really enjoy doing this," she said. "I love seeing them have fun and use different skills that they've learned. They like it a lot, and I know they have a good time doing all of this."