The 4th graders had another week of logging more miles than
the 5th graders, extending their lead to 82 miles ahead of
the 5th grade. The 4th grade runners and walkers have 202½
miles remaining in the state of Oklahoma. Texas is
definitely getting closer. The 5th graders have 284½
miles left to go in Oklahoma. We now know that both grades
will spend Christmas vacation in the state of Oklahoma...
virtually that is!
This was a big week for the 4th grade, because they now have
officially completed more than one-third of Route 66. The
5th graders are pretty close to the one-third point also and
hopefully they'll reach the one-third mark next week - their
last week of school before Christmas.
Both classes are being given the opportunity to log miles of
running or walking during Christmas vacation (which is
12 days). Mrs. Staso would like each student to aim for
logging a total of at least 5 miles over the 12 days that
they'll have for vacation. Twenty minutes of walking equals
one mile. So, if each student were to walk for just 10
minutes each day during their vacation, they would be able
to return to school with their mileage sheet showing a total
of 6 miles! IF each student were to do that, each grade
would be able to add nearly 250 miles to their Route 66
distance. That would be great because right now the 4th
grade students are about 250 miles behind pace for being
able to complete this journey by the end of April - which
was our original goal. The 5th graders are 330 miles behind
pace. So, if all of the kids were to be committed to walk
just 10 minutes per day for each day of vacation, they would
take a huge leap forward to getting back on track for
finishing by the end of April. In fact, if both the 4th and
5th grade classes were to commit to walking a half mile each
day during vacation, they would return to school in the new
year and already be in Texas! Ten minutes each day is not
asking too much, especially when they will likely spend more
than 10 minutes each day in front of a television, computer
or electronic game. If it's too cold outside and the
television programs are just too good, commit to jogging in
place during commercial breaks - adding your time up as you
do. There's a lot of ways to squeeze in 10 minutes of
walking each day! The students will have to have their
parents sign the mileage sheets and then they'll return
those sheets to Mrs. Staso after the holiday break.
If it's any incentive, when
Mr. Staso ran across America alone he ran
an average of 7½
hours each day for 108 days. That's 450 minutes of running
every day for 3½
months. Certainly some young, energetic 9, 10 and 11 year
olds can walk for 10 minutes per day for 12 days. And they
don't have to push a 80-pound jogging stroller!
So, where are the students right now on their Route 66
journey? Well, the leading 4th graders are currently in
Davenport, Oklahoma
- a little town of about 900 people. Davenport became a town
in 1906 and its main street is paved with bricks
manufactured at the Davenport Brick Plant. Before arriving
in Davenport the 4th graders had to run and walk through
Tulsa, Oklahoma - a large city of about 383,000 people. It
was in the city of Tulsa back in the 1920s that Cyrus Avery
began his campaign to create a road linking Chicago,
Illinois to California. As the students may recall from a
story Mr. Staso told to them several weeks ago, Cyrus Avery
is known as the "Father of Route 66" because of his efforts
to create the road.
The 5th graders are in a small Oklahoma town called Catoosa,
which is a town of about 5,000 people and has the
BIG blue whale
that we told you about in last week's journal entry.
Both the 4th and 5th graders recently ran and walked through
Foyil, Oklahoma. This tiny town of about 250 people is home
to a legendary Oklahoma figure. His name is Andy Payne and
in 1928 Andy represented Oklahoma in a running race across
the entire length of Route 66. He raced against 274 other
brave men. What were they all running for? The first person
to reach the finish line would be awarded $25,000.00, which
in the depression days of 1928 meant the winner would be
rich! Mr. Staso will be sharing the story of Andy Payne with
the students after the Christmas vacation.
Finally, if you've never visited our
Official Rest Area
section of this web site, you might want to do so. There's
some fun games to play there and it's a good place to have
some fun. Just don't sit in front of the computer too long
playing the games!
That's all the news to share from this particular milepost.
The kids have only received 5 notes of encouragement in the
past month, so please take a moment to encourage them. You
can do that by
signing the guestbook.
Thanks for stopping by.
Click Here To Read The Next
Journal Entry > >
|
5th Grade (41 students): Added
40 miles this week.
Their total
is 706½ miles.
