Peaking at Greendale Middle School

What do you get when you combine a book club with an inflatable obstacle course? Peak Activity Day at , of course! 

I stopped by GMS on Friday to check it out and soon found myself surrounded  by hundreds of excited 6^th, 7^th and 8^th graders, determined to each complete at least a dozen fun challenges.  

The activity day was organized to celebrate the school’s One Book, One School program in which all three grade levels read the same book. This year the chosen book was entitled ‘Peak,’ a fictional story about a boy who attempts to be the youngest person to climb to the top of Mount Everest. 

I’m all for anything that gets kids reading, so it was fun to see them attempt the various activities that tied in with the book‘s theme. There was the ’abominable snowman’ challenge, which required students to pick one person from their four member team and wrap them up completely in ace bandages. Students also seemed to enjoy trying to make it across the gym floor as a team on a set of three orange discs, which they had to remain in contact with at all times without falling off. There was also the ’Yak Beanbag Toss,’ scooter racing, tent building and ‘Pictionary’ using the library’s active board, to name a few of the challenges.  

The goal for students was to get their passport stamped for completing at least six of the activities, which then allowed them to take a shot at the inflatable obstacle course and bungee run. Passports with at least 12 stamps means those students can attend a field trip to Adventure Rock, an indoor rock-climbing facility, in mid-April. According to the school librarian so many students were getting the needed passports, she thought they might have to take two trips to the climbing facility to fit in all the kids who qualify.  

This was the first time the school held an activity day tied in with the all-school reading program and with so much excitement, I’m sure it won’t be the last.