The cold, windy and rainy weekend March 19-20 didn’t dampen the spirits of thousands of Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) students and staff who participated in races associated Shamrock Marathon Weekend, hosted by J&A Racing.
According to race organizers, 3,110 students from 50 VBCPS elementary schools participated in the Operation Smile Shamrock Final Mile. These runners accounted for approximately 72 percent of all Final Mile participants.
Participants ran 25.2 miles at home or school and then ran the final mile of their marathon Saturday, March 19. Three elementary schools – Alanton, Indian Lakes and Three Oaks – had more than 200 participants in the Final Mile. Ten elementary schools had 100 or more participants, and 19 schools had 50 or more participants. Creeds Elementary School had the highest percentage of student participation at 61 percent.
VBCPS students also participated in the weekend’s ACCESS College Foundation 8K Student Challenge. Race organizers indicated that 238 students from 14 VBCPS middle schools and 105 students from 12 VBCPS high schools ran the 8K. Kemps Landing and First Colonial High School had the highest percentages of student participation at their respective secondary levels.
School division teachers, administrators and staff also ran in the weekend’s 8K, half-marathon and marathon races. Most notably, Carla Serex, office associate in the Department of Teaching and Learning, was featured on the event booklet’s cover as well as in the event calendar for July.
To view photos from of VBCPS students in the Final Mile race, visit the VBSchools Facebook page here.