Little Wildcats end season
hold second annual mile run
MAPLETON, Maine — The Little Wildcats Running Club held its second annual “Invitational Mile” on Nov. 14, 2015 at Mapleton Elementary School.
A total of 30 third-, fourth- and fifth-graders from Mapleton Elementary School and Zippel Elementary School participated in the race. All children finished and received a ribbon and a small poster sporting a hare cheering on a tortoise crossing a finish line stating, “It doesn’t matter how slow you go, just don’t stop!”
Receiving awards for finishing in the top three were, for boys, Cade Ennis, first place, with a time of 8:05; Jack Buck, second place, 8:06; and third place, Jacob King, 8:38. For the girls, the first-place finisher was Olivia Locke with a time of 8:35. Adelaide Baser was second in 8:47 and Isabel Berry was third in 9:04.
Volunteers consisted of Presque Isle Middle School and Presque Isle High School cross country runners, members of the University of Maine at Presque Isle cross country team, parents and friends.
The Little Wildcats Running Club was formed on student initiative in 2014. Participants ran once a week with teacher and coach Kim Wright during their recess time. They worked on skills that included dynamic mobility and pacing. Overall goals for the club are to become better skilled runners, to improve awareness of and interest in general fitness and to learn to never give up, no matter what the activity. “We also worked to develop responsibility and commitment to a task and to develop a love for running,” Wright said. “Emphasis was placed on the importance of supporting and encouraging one another, and the children practiced that well.”
