PELinks Article

Field Week Activities

On March 20, 2002, Horizon Elementary School in Sunrise, FL had a special Opening Ceremonies to begin the Field Week activities.

Dan Zachofsky, a veteran physical educator and his student teacher, Tracy Nobles planned the event, which they called "United States A Celebration." The plan was very simple. They would organize 40 classes in their school, have each class represent a state in the union, and have the classroom teachers add an article of clothing or common characteristic for each state. For example, the class that represented Maine had white tee shirts with hand-made red lobsters designed on each shirt.

Dan's job was to plan a parade, like the Opening Ceremonies in the recently held Winter Olympics. Over 1100 students marched onto the field, with the help of Piper H.S., a local school nearby. Piper H.S. provided a marching band, playing patriotic music as the states marched onto the field. The high school also provided a Drill Team of Cadets in uniform and formations, as well as a team of Cheerleaders (which the boys really enjoyed!).

At the conclusion of the ceremony there was a torch ceremony and one representative from each class joined in a circle formation, jogging around the field with motorcycle police joining in and cranking up their sirens. Finally, as the children stood in the center of the field with the torch raised high, wearing patriotic baseball caps (purchased for the 40 student representatives), our principal used a megaphone and in a raised voice proclaimed the words, "Let the games begin!" and Field Week March 20, 2002 officially began.