On a cold, sunny morning, first hour P.E. students anxiously waited near the bridge as they waited for teacher Mrs. Hall to finish setting up the signs for the running course.

Once she finished setting up, she sent the runners and walkers off for their 5K (3.1 miles).  The annual Rock your Socks 5K took place Friday, Nov. 19 during school hours for the students and even after school hours for the community. Many came to support the race and the charity benefits.

“Before the run, I was really nervous and scared… and then afterward I was like oh I did that, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be,” senior Kaytlee Thompson said.

Race organizer and P.E. teacher Mrs. Hall said that there were more than 50 participants after school and at least 2 P.E classes per hour that finished at least 1.5 miles of the course.

Many students noted that it was cold, but also lots of fun. Makayla O’Connor, one of the 5K winners, said that it was difficult to run only because it was cold, and breathing the cold air through a mask made it even harder to breathe.

“The students and teachers all walked through the doors-nervous and cold only to walk back through the doors miles after- chatty and smiling, ready to take on the rest of the day,” Hall said.

Thompson, one of the first to finish the course, recalls the course as being easy except for when she was going uphill. When asked who Thomson’s biggest support was for this race, she said Coach Hall was a huge help, and her friend Lillian who is in the class with her.

Help was really needed for this event, for the runners and to make this event happen. Many groups from the school and community helped make this event possible. Mrs. Hall would like to give a big thank you to the following groups:

● Student Council – For bringing so much participation and energy to this tradition; what a great group of kids.
● Race Signs – Business Department- Rachel Ehlers and Kelly Oliva.
● Digital Map – Art Department – Amanda Speciale.
● Magazine, Yearbook, and Broadcast – capturing the event in action and helping promote this event through their platform. Also, for the prize shirt donations.
● Sandy Pizzo and the FACS Department for prize donations.
● Deb Wilke for all her support and for answering all the little questions.
● Molly Kleiber for collecting many community donations for prizes – especially the
cookies.
● Coach Glavin and the cross country team for the hat donations.
● Staff members who came out to run the course: Coach Sodemann, Coach Kleiber, Coach Eldredge, Mr. Hall, Coach Luedecke, Mrs. Shafer. “What a great example for the kids,” Hall said.