Throughout the week, approximately 40 parents dropped in for their students' P.E. classes to join in on the fun-filled games. Students and parents went head-to-head for the second annual Parents in P.E. event at Oak Ridge Elementary.  

Melaney Barecky-Vinson, the Oak Ridge P.E. teacher, started the class with the cup challenge game as a warm-up for both students and parents. She would call out different commands (head, knees, toes, shoulders etc.) and the participants had to touch those parts but when ‘cup’ was called the first one to grab the cup wins.  

After the warm-up, students and parents geared up for the main event, an intense game of Guard Your Grinch. This particular focused on soccer skills and had several goalies protecting their Grinch pin while others were kicking to knock the Grinch over. If they knocked the Grinch down, they would be the goalie and guard a Grinch.  

Barecky-Vinson stated that this activity is a great way for parents to get involved with the students and to truly enjoy themselves. The students showed the parents no mercy when attempting to knock over their grinches. The parents immersed themselves in the games and fully embraced their inner child brought out by the P.E. games. The laughter from these visits could be heard echoing through the halls. 

“It's such a great thing to see parents not just being spectators of their kids but actually getting in the trenches and playing with them,” said Barecky-Vinson. “It was a fun way to show how parents, students, and teachers are ALL on the same TEAM when it comes to the school community.” 

Each parent that attended had a chance to put their name in a drawing for a $25 gift card which was announced at the end of the week on the school news.  

“We had so much positive feedback from everyone,” said Barecky-Vinson. “Both parents and kids loved getting heart healthy together.”