Devonshire Elementary School students of all ages gave up their recess period earlier this month to run and walk laps in the park next to the school, all in an effort to help victims of the recent devastating hurricanes.
The weather could not have been better for the school’s “mini-marathon,” which included almost all Devonshire’s kindergarten through fifth grade students although they were not obligated to participate, Principal Hal Schmeisser said.
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Schmeisser estimated that about 350 kids ran Oct. 19 and raised more than $2,895 for victims of three catastrophic hurricanes in Florida, Houston and Puerto Rico.
Even the principal, wearing gym shorts and a “Devonshire Dolphins” T-shirt, ran a few laps for the worthy cause.
“The students and teachers were reading and learning about three hurricanes and the impact they were having on different communities,” Schmeisser said. “Kids were talking to teachers and then teachers were talking about wanting to be able to do something that would help.”
Schmeisser said the mini-marathon emerged “organically” from a bunch of different ideas.
“It was neat to see how it just continued to pick up speed,” he said. “The parents and the teachers got behind and supported it from the start.”
That support was on view as students completed lap after lap around the path at Devonshire Park.
Parents and siblings could be seen standing along the loop — applauding, whooping, offering high-fives and snapping quick pictures. Faculty members were no less ebullient, some holding or posting signs that read messages like “kids rock” and “let’s help people.”
Abreen Javed waited for her 5-year-old kindergarten student to circle the path.
“I don’t see him yet,” she said. “He should be here.”
Shortly after, the boy approached and lit up with a smile.
According to Devonshire teachers, fifth graders wrote local businesses to raise funds, and parents and others contributed as well. The funds generated from the mini-marathon go to the Donors Choose organization and will be distributed to those in need, Schmeisser said.
Fifth grade teacher Kitty Llerandi said the project not only helps victims, but it became a valuable learning opportunity too.
“After Hurricane Harvey, we did research on hurricanes and then there was Hurricane Maria,” she said. “They were really interested in learning about how these hurricanes impacted people.”
Llerandi said the organizers decided to hold the event at recess so kids could feel they were making a sacrifice to help people.
“We looked at photos of the devastation and I tried to get the kids to build some empathy,” she said.
Marielle Melling, mother of three runners at Devonshire, held her youngest child, 16-month-old Brinley, as she extended her hand for high-fives when her children passed by.
Her fourth grader, second grader and kindergartener were all excited about participating in the mini-marathon, she said.
“The whole project is fantastic,” she said. “What’s most cool is that the kids helped make it happen. They are seeing that your actions can make a difference. That’s an important lesson that all these children are learning.”
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