Milton Elementary FAME students enjoy field day

Milton Elementary students enrolled in a summer enrichment program enjoyed field day July 7.

Due to wet field conditions, games were held inside for the 140 students enrolled in the Friends at Milton Elementary program. 

Students took over the school, with activities such as a chopstick race, javelin throw, dry sponge toss, shoe kick and Frisbee toss held in the cafeteria, main lobby, gym, kindergarten and fifth-grade pods, auditorium and upstairs hallway. 

A supply of ice pops was stationed by the bus entrance for breaks, and students used pizza boxes donated by Nicola’s, Domino’s, Papa Johns and Grotto’s for a box relay race.

The games were organized by retired Milton Elementary School physical education teacher Carlyn Bailey, who planned the school field day for many years. Carlyn is also mother of FAME co-coordinator Brittany Bailey, who works with fellow coordinator Kacie Goins to run the after-school and summer FAME program. 

Former students Madison Parish, Christopher Prince, Jordyan Bowe, and Perla Pichardo returned to volunteer to help with the activities.

Typically, students in the summer program are tutored in the morning, and play reading and math games to prevent the summer slide and retain skills learned during the school year, Goins said. After academic sessions, students enjoy recess and a snack before breaking out into clubs including Zumba and cooking without a stove.

In spring 2019, FAME was awarded a Delaware Department of Education 21st Century Nita M. Lowey Community Learning Center program grant of $320,000 a year for up to five years, for a total of $1.6 million to expand summer and after-school programs and create partnerships with local organizations.

FAME provides enrichment activities to improve the academic success of students from Title I schools. Schools are designated as Title I based on the percentage of students who come from low-income families. 

To learn more about FAME, go to friendsatmes.com.