This year, McLaurin Elementary School embarked on a trip of a lifetime! Students, faculty, staff, and parents walked 16,000 miles, enough to visit 16 different beaches in the United States. This year’s theme is Beach Blast USA. The culmination of this year-long project occurred Friday, May 1 when school officials presented T-shirts to students for reaching the 16,000 mile mark. This year’s special guest Orlando Hudson, former major league baseball player, Gold Glove Award winner, two time all-star player and founder of the C.A.T.C.H.* Foundation walked the final mile with the students.
“This project is exercise for both mind and body,” said Debbie Cribb, McLaurin principal. “Students benefited from the exercise, and our teachers integrated fun and interesting fun facts about the 16 places we visited.”
According to Cribb, school officials recognize that inactivity contributes to future health problems and can hurt students’ academic performance; as a result, McLaurin made a serious commitment to physical fitness. This commitment, to walk 16,000 miles by the end of the year, came to fruition Friday as students raced across the finish line completing their journey.
Nancy Crooks, McLaurin physical education teacher said, “I am so proud of our students’ hard work and dedication to physical fitness, and I am happy to have Orlando Hudson with us this year. His involvement was exciting for the kids, and he really inspired our students to continue striving for their goals in life.”
McLaurin Elementary has extended special thanks to sponsors of this event: King Love & Smith, LLC, A-1 Medical, S/W Printing Company, Pinnacle Network Solutions, Block & Vino Neighborhood Butcher, McLeod Children’s Hospital, Pepsi of Florence, Florence Redwolves, Dilmar Oil Company, Domino’s, Pretty N’ Bliss Boutique, Calvary Baptist Church, H&M Auto Service and McLaurin APT. “These sponsor know that encouraging healthy habits in our children makes all the difference,” said Cribb.
