Students celebrate final days of school year, which ends today

Students at Bordewich Bray Elementary School celebrated the end of the school year at the school’s 22nd annual field day Thursday.

“It’s fun,” said Alexis Philippi, 11. “You don’t have to learn, and you get to get wet.”

Twenty-one stations — including tug-of-war, limbo and sack races — were set up outside the school, each incorporating an element of water to combat mid-morning heat that reached the low 90s.

Despite the heat, Andrew Hodges, 9, said he preferred being outside playing to studying.

“It’s funner than doing spelling tests,” he said. “In spelling tests, you learn, but in this you exercise and all that.”

Physical education teacher Linda Hurzel said that’s the message she wants to give students as they start their summer break Saturday.

“It’s reinforcing our goals of physical health,” she said. “We’re letting them have some fun before they leave for the summer and reminding them it’s important to get outside and get moving.”

Kristian Chicas, 10, might not have been thinking about the long-term benefits, but enjoyed the activity of the day.

“Getting wet is very fun,” he said.

And Marie Devencenzi, 11, was excited, knowing the field day marked the end of another school year.

“We get freedom,” she said.