10 Wairarapa Midweek Carterton Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Plan B for young runners Erin Kavanagh-Hall
Carterton
erin.kavanagh-hall@age.co.nz
Covid-19 cancellations and highly changeable weather have proven no match for Carterton School’s active, adventurous tamariki. For the past two years, Carterton School has entered teams of pupils, staff and whanau into Round the Bays: the iconic fun run, held in Wellington each February. Much to the children’s disappointment, this year’s event was cancelled – for the first time in its 22-year history – following the country’s move to the Red setting of the Covid Protection Framework. So, the school started planning for the next best thing: Carterton’s very own Round the Bays. For the pupils who had entered this year’s Round the Bays, senior syndicate teachers Melanie MacGregor and Ken Bailey organised a fun run/ walk around Carrington Park - complete with official Round the Bays T-shirts (some paired with pink tutus), medals, and sponsored “edible treats”. The Carrington Park event was scheduled for February 20 – but was called off due to wet weather and rescheduled for the following day.
Undeterred by the potentially soggy ground, 40 Year 6, 7 and 8 pupils, plus several teachers and parents, completed a 6km circuit (the same distance as the Wellington Round the Bays) around the park, running six-and-half laps. Several children decided
Sophia O’Kane cools off after completing the course. PHOTOS/JP DELAMERE
to set themselves an extra challenge and stretch out the course – with some managing to run 10km. MacGregor said participating in Round the Bays is a key part of Carterton School’s ethos of movementbased education and commitment to health and fitness. She said the staff were determined to, within the best of their ability, not
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to allow covid to disrupt opportunities for the children. “If an event gets cancelled, and we can put something on in its place that’s safe for the kids, we will,” McGregor said. “We’re showing the kids that, when big changes happen, we can be adaptable and creative, and try something different. “We had an awesome day at our own Round the Bays – the energy was pumping the whole time. “We had music going, kids were doing cartwheels and backwards handsprings (around the course), we had Mr Bailey as an MC providing commentary, the kids were all cheering each other on. It was a great day all round.” MacGregor said the school usually enters about 25 pupils in Round the Bays – with more on standby if other schools were unable to make it. Each year, Round the Bays funds and provides transport for the pupils to and from Wellington for the event. At the Carrington Park run, MacGregor said she was thrilled not only to see the children taking on a physical challenge but creating a supportive
Harvey Williams, with her father Dale, is thrilled with her Round the Bays medal.
environment for their peers. For example, the children clearing the course with the fastest times went back to walk alongside classmates taking it as a slower pace, helping to motivate them as they headed for the finish line. An additional cheerleading squad arrived in the form of members of the public using the park’s
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walking track, who stopped to offer the tamariki their encouragement. “Some people stopped to talk to us afterwards – and they were very impressed to see the kids being active and supporting one another. “We always tell the kids it doesn’t matter if they don’t finish in the fastest time. We’re all about them putting in the effort and doing their best.”
