[PHOTOSTORY 1: OUTDOORS] SMES Third-Fifth Grade Enjoys Field Day Festivities

 By: Camden Lang

Major Herron, SMES P.E. Coach, explains the rules for the first session of field day for the third-fifth graders. Field day is held during the last week of school, and promotes kids playing outside and competing in different sports activities in a big field outside the school. 

A group of fifth graders compete in the game "baka ball." This game has players inside a ring where they have to use their hands to hit the ball at other's feet, knocking them out of the ring until there is one person left. 

Jimare Houston, fourth-grader, shoots at the mini-hoop to complete his task card. Each student has a card that has every station number listed, and the goal is to complete every session before going inside for lunch. 

Payton McClendon and A'tiannah Molina, fourth-graders, laugh over getting drenched with water at the cool-off station. This duo paired up for the stations, something every student did so they can compete in the head-to-head stations on the field. 

A group of third-grade girls bounce around to Taylor Swift songs next to the speaker. This station was next to the speaker playing music, and promoted exercise by bouncing to the beat of the music. 

Ulyssa Mason, fourth-grader, slides down to race her partner to the finish. This station was an inflatable obstacle course where two students race head-to-head. 

Coach Herron explains the rules for the second session to the fourth-graders after a break for lunch. The second session has each grade compete against the different homerooms in a large game and tug-of-war matches. 

Fourth-graders line-up to race to the center to collect "cherries" from the "cherry tree." This game has student race to the center of the field to collect small balls or bean bags and take them back to their pile. The center "tree" has volunteers with water guns spraying the kids as they come get the balls, and the teachers at other piles spray other classes students trying to steal the other classes balls. 

The students huddle around the "cherry tree" grabbing as many balls as they can for their class. There is not much coordination with this game, just straight chaos!

Taylor Harris, fourth-grader, speeds by using her shirt to hold more balls. A lot of the students saw this way of holding the balls and put it to use. 

Jayson Starmer's class, fourth-grade math teacher, gathers lots of balls in comparison to other classes. This might have been because his accuracy with the water gun to keep kids away. 

Marcia Lang, fourth-grade math teacher, sprays down other classes students trying to steal balls from her classes' pile. The game lasted about five minutes. 

Makai Blue, Tre Mobley and Jimare Houston, dap each other up to celebrate while the classes' cherries get counted. These three claimed to have brought back the most balls for their class, however, Jayson Starmer's class won the game. 

The tug-of-war rope is placed down for the classes to square off. The final two classes remaining compete for the title of fourth-grade tug-of-war champions. 

Huck Clements leads the pack for Lynda Duchscherer's class. Duchscherer's class beat Lang's class in the first match-up. 

Coach Herron fires up the next to classes to face off. The winner of this match-up faces Duchscherer in the final round. 

Ruben Barr holds the front for his class. They came up short losing to Starmer's class. 

Starmer's class celebrates moving on to the final round. The tug-of-war championship is set with Duchscherer facing Starmer. 

Starmer's class strains and pulls during the championship. Coach Herron explained the classes have practiced tug-of-war during P.E. class leading up to field day. 

Starmer's students celebrate again after winning the championship. This was a competitive match lasting about a full-minute. 

Coach Herron and the students high-five to conclude a fun day at the 2025 field day. The students got popsicles after this before returning inside the school for dismissal.