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"The Best Day of the Year" — Topanga El Track and Field Day 2012
PHOTOS BY KATIE DALSEMER, MESSENGER, 2012© Parker Connor, one of Coach Harold’s Hunting Huskies, does her balancing act through a course of hula hoops. Van Buck masters the Hurdles any way she can. Everyone was a winner on this “Best Day of the Year.” Zara Duran takes the lead over Sofia Engstad in the Super Topanga Kids Potato Sack Relay. (L-R) Rylan Bohman, Eli McGuire and Tanner Sausser race to the finish line in the 50-Yard Dash, one of 14 events, among them the Sponge Relay, Frisbee Toss, Water Balloon Toss, Leap Frog, Three-Legged Race, The Funky Chicken, Potato Sack Relay, Soccer Shoot Out and, not to be forgotten, the Neon Nutcase Relay!
What do you get when you take 330 students from our very own Topanga Elementary School, put them on three buses to the Topanga Community House, build 14 events ranging from the traditional (Hurdles) to the ridiculous (The Neon Nutcase Relay Course), stir in some perfect weather, a lot of good music, a raffle or two … and a fire truck with real firefighters to hose down the kids after all is said and run, hopped and jumped?
It’s the Annual Topanga Elementary Track And Field Day.
The day was sponsored by Topanga Enrichment Programs (TEP), the fundraising arm of Topanga Elementary School, and a number of local businesses.
It is a fun-filled day full of vigorous exercise that highlights results of the year’s Physical Education (PE) programs, such as TEMPO (a stamina training program) and one that everyone remembers with a smile.
TEP pays for this program throughout the school year since state funding for PE programs have been slashed. If TEP did not step in with additional funding, PE would be an acronym that most students would never learn the meaning of.
With fresh strawberries served for a snack, all the classes competed in a multitude of events: running, tossing, throwing, balancing and hopping their way through courses that were designed and built by our Family Volunteers.
This year’s events were Sponge Relay, Frisbee Toss, Standing Jump, Water Balloon Toss, Bean Bag Toss, Leap Frog, Fitness Relay, Three-Legged Race, 50-Yard Dash, Hurdles, Funky Chicken, Potato Sack Relay, Soccer Shoot Out and, not to be forgotten, the Neon Nutcase Relay!
The spirit of the day is that everyone is a winner, but two students did take home something extra from the raffle. Sky Van Starrenberg took home a trip to Sea World, and staff and faculty winners, Mrs. Hoffman, Coach Harold, Joanna and Janet won various prizes.
Without the support of our community, this event would not be possible, and TEP would like to thank the following businesses for supporting our school: Topanga Homegrown, UWS, Cali-Camp, Mimosa Cafe, Coldwell Banker, Topanga Seed and Feed, Kramer and Associates, Pritchett-Rapf, Topanga Lumber, Prudential Malibu Realty Topanga and Franklin’s Hardware.
Prize donations were provided by Canyon Bistro, Bouboulina, Sienna Spa and Dr. Roy.
Thanks, too, to L.A. County Fire Station 69 for coming out and giving us a much needed cool down after all the exertion and to all our Parent Volunteers and Principal Nicole Sheard for supporting this day.
See you next year!
