STUDENTS TO RUN ACROSS AMERICA Virtual Trek SeeUsRun.com 1. Set a challenging goal. 2. Enrich it with academics. 3. Turn your school into a community. Kids Celebrate Crossing the State of Oregon with a Popcorn Party September 7, 2005 Russell Elementary Students are taking the journey of a lifetime. The 4th and 5th grade students at Russell Elementary School in Missoula, Montana are on a journey of a lifetime. They are virtually running and walking across the entire United States as part of their physical education curriculum during the 2005-2006 school year. The 3,200 mile route extends from Cannon Beach, Oregon to Cape Henlopen at Lewes, Delaware and crosses 14 states. Vicki Staso, their P.E. teacher says, "I'm very excited about this opportunity that the 4th and 5th graders will have to encourage one another across the United States! I want them to see that goals are reached one step at a time, whether you walk or run and that in working together, great things are achieved. Each student contributes to the overall goal!" I'm also hopeful that in keeping the goal in mind, they will learn the value of fitness in their everyday life and make decisions for a lifetime of fitness." If either class is successful, Vicki's husband, Paul Staso, will actually run the students' route in 2006, showing the course in detail through an educational Web sitewhich will feature daily pictures and information. You can send the students an encouraging word, and follow their progress, at SeeUsRun.com Today (September7) the4th grade students began their journey. They virtually left Cannon Beach, Oregon and all combined their class went about 26 miles this morning. They are on their way! Tomorrow 5th grade students will start their trek. The students' enthusiasm was great and I enjoyed running "off the coast" with them. We had sunny skies and some local encouragement from runners/walkers in the nearby park where we ran/walked. So, we are underway! DISTANCE During the 39 weeks of the school year the 4th and 5th grade students are running and walking each week to see if either class (or both, but not combined) can accumulate enough running and/or walking miles in the P.E. program to virtually cross the United States on a predetermined 3,200-mile route. The 4th grade class consists of 54 students and the 5th grade class has 40 students. To successfully accomplish the trek, each 4th grader will need to run/walk an average of 1 1/2 mile per week throughout the entire school year - from September 7, 2005 through June 9, 2006 - and each 5th grader will need to average 2 miles per student per week. Essentially, each class will need to average a cumulative distance of 2 miles per week to successfully cross the United States by the last day of school in June. That means that the 4th graders will need to average 1 1/2 mies per student per week in the P.E. program. Therefore if one student only covers 1 mile in a week, then someone in the class is going to have to do more than their weekly average to make up for it. It truly is a "team" effort. The students need to truly work hard during their allotted walk/run time in theprogram. Also, the Run/Walk Across America is only a part of their P.E. curriculum. They will still be doing a great number of other activities, and some of those activities will contribute to weekly mileage (for instance, the unit that they do using pedometers). EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a site that you just must see. It is full of fitness facts and teaching ideas. The Web site has attractive maps showing the students' routes. See ontrackdesigns.com/seeusrun/teachers.htm to get ideas to start a cross-curricular program of your own. Just click on the above link and you'll find your browsing time well spent. E-mail the editor at KidsRunning.Com with comments on this article. goodrow@infionline.net