Dozens of kindergarteners at Cushman Elementary School celebrated the school’s annual field day Friday, May 31, with dancing, crafts, relay races and a “ginormous slide.”

Matt Beauparland, a physical education and health and wellness teacher at Cushman, said, “It's a big special day for the kids. All of our stations have been things that they practice throughout the year.”

On the field, kids competed in relay as well as egg and spoon races, completed an obstacle course and went down an inflatable slide. Stations were also set up for crafts as well as for  knocking down bowling pins with tennis balls. Inside, kids had a chance to free dance to some of their favorite songs.

Beauparland said this was his first year at Cushman, so he isn’t familiar with how field day was run in the past. However, he said, a few changes have been made this year, including holding the pre-K and kindergarten field days at separate times and limiting the schedule to activities the students are familiar with so they are able to “jump right in without a big explanation.”

Parents lined the fence around the playground and field, cheering on their kids. 

“It's good to see all the parents come out and watch,” Beauparland said. “Big shout out to all the parent volunteers that are making it happen. Obviously, we only have so much staff working so it's great to have parent volunteers come out and work all the stations that you see around.”

Cecelia Schadek, 6, said field day was “really fun.”

She said though she was looking forward to the inflatable slide, her favorite part so far was throwing tennis balls at the bowling pins, adding how she had already knocked down five.

Looking back on her kindergarten year at Cushman, Schadek said, “It was really good,” adding how she loved seeing her teachers every day.

Gabriel Bettencourt, 6, said he enjoyed the relay races the most.

“I just like running with it and bringing the hula hoops,” Bettencourt said.

He said his kindergarten year was a “good” one because he has “lots of stuff to do.”

Leah Pimental, 6, said, “I love the relay race and so far my favorite is the bouncy house because it’s so fun.”

She said what has made her kindergarten year as Cushman so “very good” was her friends who were open to sharing with her and she was able to reciprocate their kindness.

Freddie Frederick, 6, said field day is “awesome,” adding, “I got to go down this ginormous slide.”

He said Cushman itself has been “awesome,” too, thanks to his teachers as well as the times he got to spend playing tag in the gym.