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By Evan Mayer
Hometown Weekly Intern
On June 1, Memorial School hosted its annual Field Day event for students in kindergarten and first grade. Once the clock struck 12:30 p.m., shrieks of excitement were heard and smiles grew on the first graders’ faces.
Sprinting to their designated stations, students participated in 16 different activities from the classic sack race to slap-the-cheese. The competition was heated from the start. As the relay races began, the students were working together to cross the finish line in a timely manner. Some of the relay races consisted of running around the baseball field, navigating obstacle courses, and even a “hippity-hop” race in which the participants bounced their way to the finish line.
Hosting his 24th Field Day in Medfield, physical education teacher Herb Grace was full of electricity and encouragement towards the students. His favorite part about the event is “the spirit. The Field Day brings the school together. The kids are excited about this day, and their spirit is what I like most.” Being a gym teacher and basketball coach over the course of his career, Grace has developed great relationships with students from all different age groups. His positive attitude during the day made it easy for both the chaperones and students to enjoy themselves.
This event could not have been successful without the help of the faculty and the parents who chaperoned the day, not to mention the gorgeous 72-degree weather. The organization from the chaperones helped the day run smoothly. Even students from Dale Street School came to help the parents, making sure the first graders were doing the activities correctly – their demonstrating how to play slap-the-cheese and toss corn-hole made it easy for the students to actively participate. Having about 7 minutes for each rotation, the students were tired and tuckered out by the end of the day. With the help from faculty, parents and the cooperation of the students, the day was enjoyed by all.
