Middle School Mileage Club ran well in many ways

Warwick Valley Middle School’s Fall Mileage Cub was an experience that I will never forget. As a fifth grader I was quite nervous to join the Mileage club but soon all my worries melted away like ice in a desert.

Mrs. Brady is an excellent instructor. In Mileage club, students can earn a necklace with a foot charm on it by completing eight laps around the track, which is two miles. For every additional two miles the students run or walk, they earn more feet for their necklaces. Runners in Mileage Club stayed after school to run on the track, competed in a Friday Night Lights Run before a varsity football game and also completed some community fundraisers.

On Friday, October 29th, 44 students ran in the Friday Night Lights Half Mile Run. Since so many kids wanted to run, the race was split into two heats, one for fifth grade and one for sixth grade. The first fifth grader to finish was Ryan Kobrick, in a speedy time of 3:01. Rory Wright and Delilah Sanchez came in second and third for the 5th graders. The 6th grade and overall winner was Leo Shostal, like a laser, in a time of 2:56. Second and third place sixth graders were Jason Brady and Tony Grigalunas.

Mrs. Brady was very proud that so many of the kids in Mileage Club wanted to help the community this fall. Some students in the Mileage Club participated in the Beautiful People 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run. Fifth grader Aislin Wendt, the president of the Mileage Club, initiated the idea of holding a coat drive. The Mileage Club collected 25 coats and winter clothes to donate to the Rotary Club. In addition, the Mileage Club decided to help the Warwick Valley High School seniors, many of whom also used to be in Mileage Club when they were younger. The Mileage Club also collected more than 25 pairs of gently used sneakers to donate to the seniors’ shoe drive.

Overall, the Mileage Club was very successful this season! As a club, the students completed 2,502 laps around the track this fall, which equals 625.5 miles! Way to go! Special congratulations goes to the top finishers in each grade. Top female finisher in fifth grade was Aislin Wendt, who sped through 41 laps. The top female finisher for sixth grade was Trixie Wendell, who cruised through 44 laps. The 5th grade male who ran the farthest was Rory Wright, who dashed through 52 laps.The top sixth grade male, and overall winner for the fall season, was Jason Brady, who worked to run a total of 58 laps. Mileage Club will start up again in the spring. Any students who are interested in joining should talk to Mrs. Brady before the winter break.