NewsPre-K to 8Academics
Kindergarten Superstars Compete in Olympic Academics
Oct 25, 2000 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
Patricia Ayer’s kindergarten class, fondly referred to as the Superstars, did more than watch Olympic games on television, they also studied the history and events of the games, and competed in their own version of grueling training, rivalry, and scoring.
In conjunction with their Olympic studies the class toured the continent of Australia via their Window on the World, the computer, where they were able to see unfamiliar animals and primitive cultures and where they heard familiar words with strange Aussie meanings. They also learned that school is different in other areas of the world – they like coming to school and being with friends instead of listening to lessons over a radio like some children in the Outback.
After more than seven weeks of intensive training, the Superstars competed in skills testing to determine winners in five categories: Letters and Sounds, Numbers and Counting, Shapes, Listening and Following Directions, and Balance and Endurance.
A ceremony to award medals and officially close the Kindergarten Olympics led by Master of Ceremony and Lower School Principal Mark Tayloe was held on the primary playground patio on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Parents gathered as Ayer and Debbie Galloway, kindergarten aid, presented the awards. Each child excelled in at least one category. Overall awards were given to the students receiving the three highest average scores. Bronze medals were awarded in a three-way tie to Megan Healy, Allie Hurley, and O'Keefe Johnson. Dillion Weeks earned the silver medal while Asa Crawford took home the gold.
In conjunction with their Olympic studies the class toured the continent of Australia via their Window on the World, the computer, where they were able to see unfamiliar animals and primitive cultures and where they heard familiar words with strange Aussie meanings. They also learned that school is different in other areas of the world – they like coming to school and being with friends instead of listening to lessons over a radio like some children in the Outback.
After more than seven weeks of intensive training, the Superstars competed in skills testing to determine winners in five categories: Letters and Sounds, Numbers and Counting, Shapes, Listening and Following Directions, and Balance and Endurance.
A ceremony to award medals and officially close the Kindergarten Olympics led by Master of Ceremony and Lower School Principal Mark Tayloe was held on the primary playground patio on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Parents gathered as Ayer and Debbie Galloway, kindergarten aid, presented the awards. Each child excelled in at least one category. Overall awards were given to the students receiving the three highest average scores. Bronze medals were awarded in a three-way tie to Megan Healy, Allie Hurley, and O'Keefe Johnson. Dillion Weeks earned the silver medal while Asa Crawford took home the gold.
