Madison elementary youth finish Fun Run with pride

Madison Elementary School students earning places in the Huntsville Hospital Fun Run were Cullen White, front from left, and Jackson Pickering; Audrey Pangboor, middle from left, Jackson Hellums, and Carley White; Seth Kulavich, top from left, Alaina Burnham and Joshua Lin. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Madison Elementary School was well represented with 90 students in the 34th annual Huntsville Hospital Fun Run. Physical education teacher Patty Faust said her students felt “personal gratification knowing they did it.”

The one-mile run, also dubbed Autumn Chase Run, had 1,703 preschoolers through eighth-graders participating and was held at the Jaycees Building in Huntsville.

Organizers encouraged participants to observe Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and collect donations to help local children in pediatric oncology care at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

Several Madison elementary students placed within their divisions:

* Sixth-grader Alaina Burnham, tenth (7:24)

* Sixth-grader Jackson Hellums, second (6:22)

* Fifth-grader Seth Kulavich, eighth (6:34)

* Sixth-grader Joshua Lin, tenth (6:56)

* Second-grader Audrey Pangboor, third (7:48)

* First-grader Jackson Pickering, eighth (7:56)

* Fourth-grader Carley White, first (6:04)

* Kindergartner Cullen White, fifth (8:26)

Run officials awarded medals to students in first through third places. Students in places 4-10 received special ribbons. All participants received a T-shirt and run ribbon.

“These students worked to beat their personal mile time. They also wanted to beat their fitness score and do extra workouts,” Faust said.

One lap at Madison elementary’s track equals one-fifth mile. When school starts, students jog or run one lap, add a lap as weeks go by and build up to completing one mile, Faust said. “Students have a goal of one mile for their physical fitness test beginning in October, so the two go hand in hand.”

Finishing the fun run gave students pride. “They saw their hard work paid off. Fitness can be fun!” Faust said with a big smile.

Anne Clift works as PE assistant at Madison elementary. “Anne continually encourages all students to have healthy lifestyles,” Faust said.

Faust “deeply appreciated” all students, parents, grandparents and guardians that accepted the run’s challenge.

The next day, students wore their Fun Run T-shirts for yearbook photographs. Faust was thrilled at “the strong, steady, fearless sea of students proud of their accomplishment. Way to go, Madison elementary.”