No Limits!

This was the cross country team’s best season ever! Cross country is both an individual and a team sport. We trained together through our school’s neighborhood, up and down our favorite hill, and around our new 200 meter track. We ran tough practices and courses together and finished races in our running packs. We enjoyed new members to our squad and taking minutes off our best times. At every meet we had 3 runners place in the top 5, including Greg, new to the team, who placed 4^th at his first run at Sherwood Island. For the first time ever, we had three runners place in the top five for the regular season: Kelly in 3^rd, Brooke in 4^th, and Ben in 4^th. These are some of the highlights of our spring season. Enjoy your break, good luck with summer training and see you in the fall!

On To Nationals: The National History Day Competition

In the fall, five students committed to compete in the History Day Competition. This is an extensive research project which requires students to choose a topic based on a theme, research their topic and create a website, documentary or exhibit, or to write a paper or write and act in a performance demonstrating what they have learned. The students met twice a week with Mrs. Leidlein and attended two in-school workshops, along with countless hours spent on their own, researching and preparing. In March, these five students, seventh graders Daniel, Brooke, Samantha and Sneha, along with sixth grader Kelly, participated in the local competition. Brooke, Sneha and Samantha all finished in the top three in their category, qualifying them to advance to the state competition. In April, they competed at Central Connecticut State University, where Sneha took second place for her website regarding the fall of the Berlin Wall and Samantha placed first for her performance about Audrey Faye Hendricks and the Children’s March of 1963. This qualified Samantha and Sneha to travel to the University of Maryland in June to compete at the national level. We wish them the best of luck and can’t wait to hear the results. Friends and family can log on to www.nhd.org to access the live webcast on June 15th between 8:30 AM and noon.

Leading the Pack

Half way through the spring season, Unquowa’s runners have already exceeded expectations. With its roster of 17 athletes, the cross country team has made an impact both individually and as a team. Dominating the courses at Wooster School, Waveny Park and Merwin Meadows, Unquowa is the team to beat in grades 6 and 7 with Kelly, Ben and Brooke all in the top 5. Most notably, our runners are consistently earning best times at each meet and having fun. Go Gators!

Taking A Stand: The 2017 History Day Contest

Five students recently competed in the local, Fairfield County, CT History Day Competition, at Sacred Heart University. This year’s theme, Taking A Stand, encouraged students to look at individuals and groups throughout history who have made a difference by taking a stand. Seventh graders Sneha and Daniel produced websites regarding the Fall of the Berlin Wall and Maximilien Robespierre respectively. Seventh grader Samantha wrote and performed a one-woman skit, playing the part of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a participant in the Children’s March in Birmingham Alabama in the 1960s. Audrey was just 9 years old when she was arrested and jailed, with thousands of other children, as they protested the treatment of blacks in the South. Seventh grader, Brooke, and sixth grader, Kelly, both created a documentary. Brooke researched Malala, a young Pakistani girl who fought for equal education for girls in Taliban controlled Pakistan. Malala was shot three times in an effort to silence her, however, she survived and her story became a national one. Kelly focused on Martin Luther King and his fight for Civil Rights in the South. In the end, Sneha and Samantha earned first place and Brooke placed third in each of their categories. All three will go on to compete at the state level at the end of April at Southern Connecticut State University.

Cross Country Kicks It Out!

The cross country team had an outstanding finish to the fall season. We have significantly improved as individuals and as a team. Each runner achieved their goal and clocked a personal record. In fact, nearly all runners achieved best times at every meet! Overall, Ben placed 5th and Kelly placed 4th among grade six boys and girls, respectively. At the championship meet last Thursday at Waveny Park in New Canaan, Kelly won the 1.2 mile race against grade 6 girls. Congratulations Kelly and the entire team. Go Unquowa!

Cross Country Mid-Season Update

The cross country team has been busy! We raced at Ridgefield Academy where Kelly placed 4th among grade 6 girls, Penfield Beach where each of our grade 7 and 8 runners earned their personal best, and Merwin Meadows where Kelly placed 2nd among grade 6 girls. Last week we returned to Sherwood Island. We enjoy repeating courses during the season because it gives us the opportunity to improve our best times–and we did! The team took a total of 12:00 off their best times! Also at this meet, Kelly placed 4th and Ben placed 3rd among grade 6 girls and boys, respectively. The team is now enjoying their taper for the championship meet at Waveny Park on November 3rd. Go Gators!