Carol Burlew, a third-grade teacher at Ishikawa Elementary School, has successfully endeavored to have a Relay Recess at the school.
Carol, who is involved with East Mesa’s Relay for Life, wanted to bring her passion for the event to the students. She could not have done this without the support of her fellow teachers, Principal Shelley Heath and two physical education teachers, Rebecca Neal and Greg Gardner.
“Relay Recess is a great way to bring awareness of service to the younger generation, so that when they reach junior high and high school, they will want to continue with Relay and service work,” Carol said.
The event has three components, which are education, fund raising and physical activity. Classroom teachers covered education from the extensive kit provided by the American Cancer Society (ACS). The teachers could pick one or two activities to implement in their classrooms. These topics included sun safety, nutrition and tobacco awareness. The fund-raising effort was the responsibility of the student council, along with the community.
At their Friday Sales Table, the students sold appealing items, including wacky pencils, erasers, hair bows, and slap bracelets, just to name a few. All the money raised went to the Relay Recess. They sold luminaria bags to honor and remember those who have battled cancer. These bags lined their walking/jogging track on the day of the event.
In addition, they sold ACS footprints, which were signed and then placed in the multi-purpose room. As of March 25, their total was $600. Ian Nielsen, a third-grader, had the honor and privilege of filling the bags with sand. “My teacher, Mrs. Burlew, told us that these bags were special, and they needed to be treated with love and respect because they represented someone who was loved by someone,” he said.
The physical activity component took place the actual day of the Relay Recess. Ishikawa Elementary School combined their Physical Education Track and Field Day, as well as their Primary Play Day, with the Relay Recess. During these special physical education days, students rotated to various stations. For the Relay Recess, they added a walking/jogging lap around the playground, which was lined with luminaria bags. In addition, each classroom created a poster to convey what they learned from the education component.
A sixth-grader and Student Council President Rylee Johnson has felt the impact of Relay Recess. She has been touched by cancer in her own family and just loves the fact the students are getting involved, donating their money and making a difference. “Cancer affects everyone, and we need to have a tender heart for this,” she said. A fifth-grader and Student Council Vice President Isabel Nielsen was equally touched by the event. “It was a great experience to help,” she said, “and there were always so many kids there to buy things at our Friday Sales Table.”
“This all reminds me of a quote from The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss,” said Rylee, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
For more information, or if you would like to hold a Relay Recess at your school, contact Carol Burlew at Ishikawa Elementary School, or visit the American Cancer Society Web site at www.cancer.org.