With more than 150 elementary school children, the procession alone was a sight to be seen.{{more}}
In the 7th Annual Orange Elementary School Olympic Festival, a mixture of kids from the three surrounding elementary schools gathered at the Orange Community Center on Wednesday, June 12 for a day of teamwork and festivities, this in Olympic style.
“I am so proud of the event and all of the kids who participated, “ said founder and Orange resident Jim Ronai. “We wanted to send the right message to the 5th and 6th graders and even give the younger kids something to aspire towards.”
Led in by D.A.R.E Officer John Aquino, 5th and 6th graders who qualified for the festival displayed their randomly chosen continental flag while walking side-by-side with their teammates that were also mixed between the schools.
With Orange’s Olympic flag present as well, families and friends gathered to watch their children compete in what is considered a school-affiliated venue to associate children with health and fitness awareness through sports!
“The goal of this event was to highlight the athletic kids of Orange … maybe they didn’t realize how much potential they have,” said Ronai. “Whether it be a Geography Bee, Spelling Bee, or an Art Show, we all just want kids to identify with something and boost their confidence.”
With healthy sponsorships, seven events in total, and an award ceremony to conclude the day, the festival worked to inspire children to be healthy, fit, and proud of themselves along with their peers.
Ronai, once an Olympic participant, wanted to bring home the experience of the Olympics to the children of Orange. A healthy alternative venue to learn about hard work and achievements, Ronai excluded the event with the award ceremony. “Similar to the Olympics, the festival committee set up podiums where the 1st 2nd and 3rd place winners received medals and even jackets. What impressed me the most was that some children spoke up saying they didn’t actually win the prize but someone else deserved the award. This alone, proved our event to be a success.”