Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Hundreds of kids race at O.J. Roberts event
About 300 elementary school students ran at Warwick County Park on Wednesday for the Owen J. Roberts Wildcat Run.
The Owen J. Roberts School District has been doing an annual elementary running event for more than 40 years, said Jo-an Rechtin, OJR school and community engagement specialist.
“It’s always been a special event,” she said. “Running is a lifetime activity.”
Rechtin said the run has always been in the fall but this year’s event included several changes from previous years. This was the first year the event was called the Wildcat Run and the first year the OJR High School helped organize the run, Rechtin said.
The varsity OJR High School cross country team helped run Wednesday’s event by leading the kids in exercises and stretches before the races, main- taining safety measures for the event and even running the races with the students, Rechtin said. She said the OJR Middle School cross country team also raced at the event.
Students in fourth, fifth and sixth grade ran the same course at Warwick Park that the high school cross country teams uses for their home course. Fourth and Fifth grade students participated in a one-mile fun run while sixth graders were timed in 1.5 mile course.
“We really celebrate running,” Rechtin said.
Students were bused from five elementary schools to the park after school ended on Wednes- day afternoon to participate in the run. East Vincent Elementary, East Coventry Elementary, French Creek Elementary, North Coventry Elementary and West
Vincent Elementary all had students participate in the Wildcat Run.
Rechtin said for many of the elementary students, the running event is their first real chance to see what their bodies can do. She said students use their body in a challenging and active way while also having fun.
“They get a chance to be outside and be with their friends,” she said.
Rechtin said friends, families and even pets attended Wednesday’s run to support the students. She said several elementary school teachers ran alongside their students in the races to cheer them on.
“They’re being role models,” she said.
Rechtin said every student that participated in the races made it to the finish line and teachers were there encouraging them the whole way. She said she no- ticed a little girl running during the fifth grade race was struggling a little toward the end but she had about five adults surrounding her and cheering.
“I don’t think she thought she could make it,” Rechtin said adding that with everyone’s encouragement she ran strong to the finish line.
Every elementary school student that participated in the races received ribbons and awards were given to top finishers in the 6th grade races. Rechtin said the ribbons and awards gave the students an incentive to run. The prizes were purchased with a grant from the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation. Abigail Malmstrom from East Vincent Elementary won first place for the sixth grade girls race and Micah Cain from East Coventry Elementary won first place for the sixth grade boys race.
The OJR district has two volunteer running programs that students can participate in throughout the year.
Girls on the Run is an international running program for young girls. Rechtin said it’s a 10 week program that teaches girls in third through sixth grade about self-esteem while also helping them train for a 5K race. She said the girls learn how to set a goal, work toward that goal as a team and then accomplish the goal at a 5K run.
“It’s to help them not be put into a box,” Rechtin said adding that the program allows girls to realize they can achieve something when they put their mind to it.
Rechtin said STRIDE is the male counterpart of Girls on the Run. The boys running program was developed by the Brandywine YMCA.
Rechtin said several of the younger students that participate in the OJR running programs and events, take their interest for running to middle school and high school. She said older students that have moved on from the elementary schools remember the annual run and that it’s had an impact on them.
“It really has always promoted the culture of running here at OJR,” she said.
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