Professionals among them
‘We were blown away by the support from the community and RCPS families’
Twelve members of the Capital Wind Symphony joined the Rappahannock County High School and Elementary School Bands last Saturday for two rehearsal sessions, thanks partly to the Piedmont Symphony Orchestra’s Music Mentor Program and RAAC’s Claudia Mitchell Arts Fund. “Thanks to the Claudia Mitchell Fund, educational outreach programs such as this allow our students to benefit from positive mentoring relationships . . . invaluable to their development as musicians,” said RCPS Band Director Jason T. Guira. ➤
The RCES gym was filled with lots of cheering, dancing, and (of course) RUNNING during the Boosterthon Fun Run. The fundraiser, hosted by the RCPS PTO, was raising money specifically for a much needed shade structure at the RCES playground.
According to event coordinator and PTO member Lynnie Genho, the fun run raised over $10,000 in pledges with an additional generous donation of $10,000 from an anonymous donor. This fundraiser was the first of its kind at RCES.
According to Genho, “After seeing so many surrounding schools fundraising with active based fun runs, our PTO decided to partner with Boosterthon to see if it could be successful here in Rappahannock. We were excited by the inclusiveness of every child participating in the run, the school spirit aspect, and, to be honest, just the pure fun of having a dance party at school. We were blown away by the support from the community and RCPS families and are proud to have rallied together to raise over $20,000 for our little school system.”
In addition to raising money for the shade structure, the multi-day fundraiser focused on daily character building skills that were shared with all of the students throughout the week leading up to the run. Students were each given a T-shirt, regardless of fundraising participation, which were generously donated by community sponsors: Eldon Farms, TNI Solutions, Appleton & Campbell, Real Estate III, American Legion Post 330 of Culpeper, Monroe and Crocker, Cheri Woodard Realty, Lindsey WangsgardR&F Independent Consultant, Commit to Be Fit, Blue Ridge Independent, Farm Bureau Insurance, Headwaters, the Stoner Family, Waterpenny Farms, B&B Signals, and the Legacy Farm Market!
During the Fun Run Event, students completed laps around the RCES gymnasium, which had been transformed with a large inflatable tunnel, lit race track, and colorful glow lights. The Boosterthon DJ played upbeat music while the staff and volunteers encouraged dancing among the students waiting for their turn to run. There were lots of highfives exchanged and loud encouraging cheers shared among peers as each grade level completed the fun run.
RCPS would like to thank the PTO and all of the sponsors and volunteers that provided the students with the opportunity to participate in this fun and healthy fundraiser.
NIGHT TO REMEMBER
Several RCHS students attended the Night to Shine event at Open Door Baptist Church in Culpeper. The evening prom, which celebrates people with special needs, is sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. Guests are treated to a limousine ride to the venue, and are introduced by name as they arrive on the red carpet. Everyone is presented flowers/ boutonnieres, and treated to a live DJ to dance the night away. Near the end of the event, there is a crowning ceremony where each participant receives a crown or tiara and is announced as a king or queen of the night.
According to Dave Roberts, RCHS Special Education teacher, “It is quite a spectacular and magical evening. All of the students had a wonderful time.” On the way home, added Roberts, one of the students exclaimed: “I will never forget this night for as long as I live.”
TEAM BUILDING DAY
Rappahannock County Elementary School students in grades K-7 recently participated in Team Building Day.
Planned by the RCPS OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Committee, the activities were designed to promote skills necessary for effective teams as well as foster high self-esteem and confidence. Each student was assigned a small group and experienced a variety of different activities centered on working together to reach a common goal.
Students developed strategies to move team members from one “island” to another using scooters and jump ropes at the Rescue Island activity. In the Pirate Treasure activity, students
June 7, 2018 • provided verbal directions to blindfolded teammates to find “pirate treasure.” During the Balloon Sandwich Walk, the teams made “balloon sandwiches” and passed balloons without dropping them. The Pyramid Build-Up station involved students working together in a small group to build structures with cups using a rubber band and string.
— Holly Jenkins
AROUND THE WORLD IN ONE DAY
In colorful and lively tradition, the Wakefield Country Day School community celebrated customs and cultures from a sampling of countries around the world at their International Day fair. During a day organized by WCDS International Program Director Casey Carter, each class prepared an exhibit for its chosen country that featured interesting facts about the country along with tasty foods and cultural keepsakes.
Featured countries included: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ethiopia, Greece, Israel, Madagascar, Mexico, Mozambique, Peru, Portugal, Republic of Georgia, Russia, Thailand, and Turkey. In between sampling delicious dishes such as Danish frikadeller, Georgian khachapuri, Russian blini, and romazava of Madagascar, students enjoyed craft workshops, where older children taught the younger children to make special toys and artwork popular in the countries on display.
Students also enjoyed a scavenger hunt for details of each country before everyone, staff and students, entered the gym for a “Formula One Grand Prix” race to cap a festive day of world studies.