McGuffey program promotes fitness, helping others
Qiqi Marcus Shi is one of the youngest kids at McGuffey Foundation School. He's also one of the most determined. The kindergartener has racked up 21 miles in the school's annual spring long-distance running program, beating out kids nearly three times his age.
"I have more miles than anyone," said the dark-haired 5-year-old, as he tore around the makeshift track located along the grassy perimeter of the school's playground
Every spring a new student seems to rise to the challenge of being the top runner in the six-week program, known by the acronym SOAR, which stands for Students Out and Actively Running. Last year, fifth-graders Jordan Belec and Tessa Ralinovsky were the standouts, finishing with 34 and 40 miles apiece.
SOAR, which is in its fourth year at McGuffey, was started by Lisa O'Connell, a parent and member of the Oxford Running Club.
O'Connell wanted to help kids develop an interest in either walking or running so they would learn early on the benefits of fitness, said Sue Bartow, the school's science teacher. O'Connell has since moved out of state, but Bartow and others at McGuffey have kept the program going.
They have also added a service component the program. Students passed out pledge sheets to friends and neighbors last month before SOAR began. For each mile, the students run, they will collect money and the money will be donated to the Oxford Community Choice Pantry, a food pantry for low-income families in Oxford.
"I like that our money goes to the food pantry," said Isabel Coyle, a first-grader who has run 15 miles so far alongside her friend Sofi Guven, also a first-grader.
Each afternoon, children who range from kindergarten through eighth grade gather in the school's spacious double backyard. They slip lanyards around their necks from which dangle cards that are used to keep track of their laps. Each time a child completes a lap a parent volunteer punches a hole in the child's card. Seven laps equal a mile and each card has room for 21 punches or three miles.
When a child finishes a card, he or she gets a new one and also earns a small reward such as handmade bracelets that several of the sixth-graders wove with embroidery thread. The kids who earn at least 27 miles by the end of the program receive a medal.
"One thing I like about this is that it gives recognition to a different type of athlete," Bartow said. "The kind that don't necessarily excel at typical ball sports. It gives a whole new image to some of the kids here."
By Nancy Averett
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