Garfield Elementary’s running club

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - It’s now common to see bunches of Garfield Elementary students running laps outside during their recess breaks.

“Every kid was out here running laps in the field, and the teachers were running laps with the students,” said Andrew Foelske, Garfield Elementary’s physical education teacher.” When I got the numbers in the fall, every single kid at Garfield participated, and every single kid did at least one lap. We were just blown away by it.”

Formerly known as the mileage club, the club is now called the running club, in honor of former Garfield Elementary student, Nicholas Running.

Running passed away in 2019.

“We miss him, but there is now a piece of him that can be a part of something that he really loved, which is this school,” said Steve Running, Nicholas Running’s father.

According to Foelske, Garfield students ran over 11,000 laps, which is equal to more than 2,000 miles.

“They had to give up their recess time, where they are really having fun, to go do something some of them had probably never done before. That is something that makes me proud,” Running said.

Sixth graders Ashton Winn and Bryson Walrup ran the most laps of any students in the school, and they both recommend the club for future students.

“Running gave me the chance to, like, think and to get my head back into the school day after lunch and recess to make sure I’m ready to learn,” Winn said.

“I want to inspire other kids in the grades, and my mom used to always say you never know who is watching,” Walrup said.

“Garfield has a history of always having the community around it and having families that are participating,” Foelske said. “It kind of went away during COVID, and I’m happy to be a part of getting this type of community effort back and just fostering that for our students here.”

Copyright 2023 KWQC. All rights reserved.