Lower School Celebrates 27th Annual Olympics
Students, faculty, parents and guests descended on Kennerly Field February 2 for the 27th annual Benjamin School Olympics. Faculty Olympic Day Coordinator Riordan Cheatham kicked off the opening ceremonies as the middle school choir sang “The National Anthem.” Each lower school class paraded around Kennerly Field, representing the country they had been assigned. The ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame by lower school torchbearers signalled the start of the field day celebration. Students competed in a handful of field events from dashes, to hurdles, relays and bean bag toss.
“To be able to take a month learning about the country and to practice the events, to see the students as excited as they are on Olympic day is what makes it all worth it. For many of these kids it's their first taste of both team and individual competition,” Cheatham said.
Classroom 4G, representing Bolivia, won this year's Olympics. Second grade class 1M, representing Brazil, came in second. Third graders in 3H, representing Ireland, came in third, 4C in fifth and 1MN in fifth.
Classroom 4G, representing Bolivia, won this year's Olympics. Second grade class 1M, representing Brazil, came in second. Third graders in 3H, representing Ireland, came in third, 4C in fifth and 1MN in fifth.
Additional awards went to:
- Sportsmanship 1Y Egypt
- Spikeball Champions 5th grade: 5A Wilson Stewart and Andrew Lappin
- 4th grade spikeball Champions : 4G Maddox Hoffman and Pavel Tsar
- Ultimate Frisbee Champions:
- 4th Grade Boys : 4G Bolivia ; Girls : 4G Bolivia
- 5th Grade Boys: 5A Canada ; Girls 5S Morocco
History of The Benjamin School Olympics
What began in 1990 as an educational endeavor (founded by now retired Head of School Peter Graham and Assistant Director of Athletics Steve Hamel) to learn more about the world in which we live, has grown into an event that takes on the true characteristics of the Olympic spirit, exemplifying the strength of friendship, solidarity, and fair play. Each classroom in grades one through five adopts a country and explores its customs and culture in detail, including a culinary luncheon hosted in classrooms on the eve of Olympic Day. The Olympic Day celebration is the culmination of a monthlong multicultural study, and a day in which each class represents its country, yielding an athletic event spirited with competition among nations.
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A premier PK3 - Grade 12 independent, coeducational day school with campuses in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. Since 1960, The Benjamin School has provided a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment.