Verner and 10th Street elementary schools in Verona and Oakmont had one of the students’ and faculty members′ favorite events of the year with Field Day at Riverside Park in Oakmont.

Organized and run by Riverview School District physical education teacher Kevin Krajca, the day is intended for students in kindergarten through sixth grade to get outside and enjoy a variety of physical activities and competitive games.

Krajca has been with the district for 22 years and said that Field Day has been running as long as he can remember, with the exception of 2020 due to covid-19.

“Our yearly field day is an eagerly anticipated event for all the elementary,” he said. “It takes a ton of planning by a number of people and a cooperative spirit from staff and support professionals to make it work. I like to say everyone is a gym teacher on field day. To be able to celebrate physical activity, cooperative games and sportsmanship is an extremely positive experience for the students.

“That positive experience lasts for years to come. When I see former students who are now in high school or have even graduated, one of the first things they bring up is field day. Creating those memories of positive experiences in elementary school is a big part of education as the students develop into well-rounded individuals.”

Upon arriving at the park on May 17, the students were separated into groups, with kindergarten thorough second-graders on the bottom area near the track and tennis courts and third through six grades on the upper football and softball fields.

Nineteen events were organized by Krajca, and with the assistance of other teachers and administrators at the district, the students were separated into stations. There were 10 events on the upper field and none on the lower field. The students spent approximately 20-25 minutes at each event.

The upper field featured activities such as ‘kickball cricket,’ a combination of the two sports, along with a relay-style sled race, three-legged co-op race, ‘capture the colors,’ Frisbee cone games, team slingshot distance games, human horseshoes, and ‘duck on a rock,’ a tag game.

On the lower field, there were various relay-style events, a sandwich race, tube games, and ‘atomic frogs,’ a race featuring a ball and a rubber frog. There was also basketball for all age groups and an obstacle course race on the track below the field house.

A cafeteria area was set up, and the students were all provided a picnic-style lunch, along with a DJ providing a soundtrack and a nurse’s station in case any bumps and bruises occurred.

“It’s beautiful day,” Verner Principal Tina Monroe said. “All the kids love it, and we really like that we get to have both schools together.”

Her 1oth Street counterpart, David Zolkowski, agreed.

“This a collective effort, everyone from our custodians to food services, everyone really works together,” he said. “It’s a great time of the year to get out of the classroom. We have everyone on our staff supporting and here to run the games, and the kids are having a great time.”

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