Woodchucks do chuck wood, in Woodland anyway

Contributed photo by Laurie Sheehan     With precise aim, third-grader MacKenzie Tracy won first place amongst the third-grade girls during the wood chucking contest on Feb. 1.

By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer

    WOODLAND — Over 300 pieces.
    That’s how much wood the woodchucks chucked, because woodchucks do chuck wood — at least they did at the Woodland Consolidated School on Feb. 1.
    The celebration of Woodchuck Day (which supplants Groundhog Day) has been an ongoing tradition for the Woodland Woodchucks for decades as a great way to celebrate school spirit and kick off Winter Carnival.

    Chucking wood, however, is a three-year tradition that the students have wholly embraced.
    “It gets the kids gung-ho and ready for Winter Carnival, which unfortunately this year had to be postponed until Saturday, March 2,” said Principal Susie Schloeman.
    Schloeman was inspired to hold the wood-chucking activity three years ago after seeing a Geico commercial that featured woodchucks chucking wood.
    “I thought, ‘we can do that!’” she said.
    The rules of chucking wood are relatively simple. Grades K-4 strive for aim, trying to land a piece of wood into a circle from a starting point. Students who tie enter into a last-woodchuck-standing style tournament until a winner has been determined.
    Students in grades 5-8 chuck wood for distance, and the high score wins.
    For both styles of competition, male and female winners are selected for each grade.
    “It’s an activity that gets the kids outside to do something fun,” Schloeman said.
    Aside from participating in the uniquely spirited game, students also decked themselves out in the school colors of blue and white.
    This year, students received a free book donated by Reader to Reader, a nonprofit organization devoted to increasing literacy and fostering a love of reading.
    Along with a free book, each student received a popsicle and a bookmark that was distributed by the friendly woodchuck school mascots; sporting the woodchuck costumes this year were Schloeman and seventh-grader Candace Lane.
    The two woodchucks had assistance in passing out the bookmarks and popsicles from a special helper, seventh-grader Adia Greer.

Contributed photo by Laurie Sheehan     Second-grader at the Woodland Consolidated School Connor Dodd had excellent follow-through during the wood chucking contest on Feb. 1. Dodd was one of two first-place winners from the second grade.	Contributed photo by Cindy Privette     It took a team of woodchucks to distribute popsicles and bookmarks to every student on Woodchuck Day — this year’s team consisted of, from left,  Principal Susie Schloeman and seventh-graders Adia Greenier and Candace Lane.

Contributed photo by Laurie Sheehan     Classmates and teachers watched as first-grade student Natalie Landeen, center, took her turn chucking wood. Shown at right-center is Principal Susie Schloeman, who promoted school spirit by donning one of two Woodchuck mascot costumes.

Contributed photo by Laurie Sheehan     Fifth- and sixth-grade students enjoying their new books they received on Feb. 1 were, in front, Ghent Durepo. From left, middle row: Andrew Driscoll, Delano Littleton, Joshua Ostlund, Hollie McDougal, Wyatt Taggett, Zakkary Tracy, Dillon Philbrook, Grace Schmitt and Alexis Parker. Back row: Donald Love, Julia Dahlgren, Brant Trombley, McKenzie Rossignol, Monica McLaughlin, Zoey Jones, Ariel Plucker and Maren Moir.

Contributed photo by Laurie Sheehan     P.J. Thornton, at left, participated in the wood chucking contest with the cheering support of Principal Susie Schloeman, who sported the woodchuck mascot costume for the event.