(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho -It’s a bit of a controlled chaos.
Some would say it’s like herding feral cats getting 800 to 1,000 elementary school kids to a starting line.
But, the organizers have done this for years.
The 29th running of the elementary school kids is a tradition unlike any other.
All 11 elementary schools across the Coeur d’Alene School District make their way to the Kootenai County Fairgrounds to sprint one mile with parents cheering full throat.
But for the last month, teachers have thrown in an educational component.
Flipping the script on making sure elementary school kids live a healthy lifestyle.
According to a study done by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 30% of Idaho’s children only get up to an hour of physical activity a day.
Organizers say the kids have been learning healthy eating habits and exercising, as well as knowing what it’s like to be a team player.
“They can better themselves as a runner and they are also working towards a goal of helping their team out,” Heather Montee, one of the event organizers, said.
Skills they’ll carry for the rest of their lives.