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Wenonah Elementary School Field Day brings together fun and community

Rebecca Barnabi
Wenonah Elementary School’s Field Day was held at Constitution Park Thursday. Photos by Rebecca J. Barnabi.

Last year, Field Day was held at Wenonah Elementary School, but renovations this year meant the event would have to be elsewhere.

On Thursday, students in kindergarten through fifth grade enjoyed fun and community at Constitution Park in Waynesboro.

“So we worked with the Parks and Recreation to host it here today,” said Wenonah Principal Abby Arey.

Waynesboro Kiwanis and groups from Waynesboro High School joined students at Constitution Park, as well as Waynesboro Police and Waynesboro School Board member Rick Wheeler.

In the morning, students went to nine stations for beach volleyball, yard games, including corn hole, water, parachute games, tag and a visit at the Blue Ridge Children’s Museum Natural Playground across the street from the park.

Arey said she hopes today helps students realize they can walk to the park in Waynesboro and visit the museum.

“It’s a great day,” Arey said.

After lunch, fifth grade students played teachers and staff in a game of kickball.

“Field Day is really an end-of-year celebration for the kids, but we’ve really focused on school community the last two years,” Arey said.

Community support includes Kona Ice, t-shirts donated for the students to wear and take home, and blow-up houses for the students to enjoy.

“Community building as a school has been really important coming out of COVID,” Arey said.

During the kickball game, younger students returned to Wenonah for instruction, while the older students enjoyed the afternoon at Constitution Park.

“It’s just a great opportunity for our students. We’re just like a family,” said ELL teacher Kelly Thrower.

Field Day is a day for the community to come together, and also for Wenonah staff and students to enjoy a day outside the classroom before the school year ends.

“This is a great tradition for the staff to play the fifth graders [in kickball] and send them off to middle school,” Thrower said.

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi is the national editor of Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools. Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.